Please explain difference in Tubes Versus Solid State

[EdwardGein]

Assuming for a minute, I have this fantastic speaker & sub system that meets with everyones approval- thank you mastah, can someone please explain to me the audio differences I will hear on 1. A tube CD player, 2. A tube receiver, 3. A tube DVD 4. a tube DAC versus a solid state CD player, receiver, DVD & DAC. Assume initially just 1 of these is tube & the rest of the system is solid state & then assume everything is tube. Are these significant differences? Thanks for any responses

[drseid]

Assuming for a minute, I have this fantastic speaker & sub system that meets with everyones approval- thank you mastah, can someone please explain to me the audio differences I will hear on 1. A tube CD player, 2. A tube receiver, 3. A tube DVD 4. a tube DAC versus a solid state CD player, receiver, DVD & DAC. Assume initially just 1 of these is tube & the rest of the system is solid state & then assume everything is tube. Are these significant differences? Thanks for any responses

Some of these things are rare -- tube receivers, for example. There are certainly tube integrated amps...

Bottom line is whether it is changing one component to tubes or many, the change will be very noticable to some, and less so to others. Tubes do tend to have an effect on the sound... whether that change is desireable or not will be dependant on many things including the speakers and other electronics (even other tubes) they are partnered with, and the listener's sound preferences.

---Dave

[musicman1999]

ed

Jolida offers a dvd solution using tube components.It involves a dvd player and 2 integrated amps,one 2 channel,the other 3 channel.It is a very minimalist approach to home theater however as there would be none of the features of a reciever.No video switching,prologic2,on screen display,dsp modes.But how often do use use this stuff anyway.So its pretty basic,5.1 only,but i bet it sounds great.Dseid is right though,tubes need to be partnered with the right gear.

bill

[topspeed]

Your question makes a lot of assumptions, most importantly that all tubes sound the same and all ss gear sounds the same. This is quite untrue. There are good tubes and bad tubes just as there are good and bad ss. You can have tubes that sound like ss and ss that sounds like tubes...and we haven't even thrown switching amps into the fray!

On source equipment, I think it's safe to say that most tube output cdp's or dvdp's are trying to attain the traditional sweetness most people associate with tubes. A certain euphonic coloration may also be added, for better or worse. The flip side is the potential for rolled off highs, flabby lows, or a litany of other vices opponents of tubes like to list. The question becomes is this added "musicality" coming at the expense of absolute accuracy and more importantly, which do you like more?

Hersh, the last thing you want to do is gather opinions. All this will do is form preconceived notions about how something should sound to you instead of how it actually does sound. If you're so interested in tubes, borrow some of the flippin' things and come to your own conclusions.

[kelsci]

Close to the mid 1970s, I had in my possession a Realistic SA-1000 solid state amp and a Fisher X-100 tube amp(both integrated amps). For about a week or two I tried to compare the sound of each on a set of marantz imperial 6G speakers since both amps were similar in their output power. I felt each in its own right sounded good. I felt that comparing the sound of both was like comparing plastic(solid state) to glass(tubes). I felt tubes had a more natural sound, more FMish in nature. I felt the solid state was more direct or in other words, I felt like the sound had more of a straight wire without gain approach. That is the best that I can say.