Why buy Tube amps versus a transitor amp?

[Ajani]

I'm with you Blackraven. It's nice you can get a few watts to listening level but I like to know I have watts to spare if I need them.

I think for a second or third system a few watts would be fine... But for the main I still prefer a monster watt amp....

[E-Stat]

I think for a second or third system a few watts would be fine... But for the main I still prefer a monster watt amp....

The trick is whether or not the first watt is good. I first learned that lesson with the AR integrated amp long ago. Sounded fine at high levels, but fell apart at low levels. Along the way, I discovered the Conrad-Johnson MV-75A fell into the same category. I remember having high hopes for it as that was an affordable amp back in the 70s. Resolution disappeared at low output.

My trusty old Threshold does very well at the bottom. The simple class A voltage amp handles power to about 2 watts per channel (4 ohms) where the current mirror takes it up to 200 per channel. With the double New Advents, I get pretty loud output at 4 watts. Driven directly by a pair of 12AU7s in the Manley DAC, the result is sweet. I find that well executed simple designs sound better than more complex designs having more gain stages, feedback, etc.

rw