Is that SS bass is better than the bass from a tube-based system. Sure I've witnessed SS amps pump out some serious tight bass notes [yeah] and I've seen old [Dynaco] tube amps produce soft, warm bass [yuk]. And yet the most musical bass I've realized in my system is from my three [3] watt single-end triode with NOS "ST" [shouldered] 45 output tubes. My amp is switchable between 2a3 and 45 operation and the difference is obvious between those types. And while all the 45 tubes [NOS ST, globe or current production] sound fabulous, the bass is still different depending on which type I use. The globes are the least reliable, while most of the ST 45's produce a wonderful, musical bass that is tuneful, nimble and shaded with all the flavor of a real acoustic instrument. Of course, this is dependant on many other factors but in my system replace the amp and that same bass is missing in action, replace the 45 for a typical double-plate 2a3 and the rollicking timing is absent. As a point of clarification, the amp I use isn't cheap and uses a simple but sound topology and has killer output transformers. Which is the equivalent of drivers in a speaker. It also has upgraded parts of my choosing [and the designers blessing]. Though as suggested, the carbon film resistors I chose have a very minor effect over the stock units. The teflon coupling caps are hideously [comparitively] expensive and have a greater effect on the signal. Still, resistors, caps and wire are small beans compared to design, transformers and the selection of tubes.

MikE