slowGEEZR
03-03-2007, 06:32 AM
I've noticed that a lot of audiophiles think that tube amps run in triode mode generally sound purer than the same amp run in ultralinear mode. I've read that, since ultralinear mode has more power than triode that it should be used for certain types of music (rock, large ensembles, etc.) and for listening loudly and triode is great for some jazz, acoustical, smaller ensembles,etc. It has generally been said that, when the amp is run in UL mode, the output is greater, but the quality is less. All of these statements have been reinforced in my readings of some popular current tube amp offerings in some current magazines. Since my own tube amp sounds so good to my ears and it runs in UL mode, I decided to do more reading regarding these generalizations. After all, how could I be happy if my amp doesn't allow triode mode?
This is what I found out, after reading articles on design and many review articles dealing specifically with these designs. Are you ready? ....The answer is "it depends". It may or may not be true that a triode mode is purer, with less distortion than the same amp run in UL mode. It may or may not be true that UL produces a bigger quality sound than the same amp run in triode mode. The results depend entirely upon the design of the amp. There are amps, that when run in triode, have more distortion than when they are run in UL and vice versa. There are amps, that when run in UL can't be played as loudly as when they are run in triode, even though the power is greater! The reason for this is that in these amps design, the distortion in UL is greater than in triode and one can't listen to the UL mode above a certain volume level. There are other amps when run in triode, the distortion at certain frequencies are much more than when run in UL and UL is preferred.
Of course there are many other factors that determine the sound qualities of an amp, but at least I found out that, based on triode or UL design alone, one or the other does not necessarily produce a better sound for any type of music. On the other hand, many of the more popular current designs seem to fit the generalizations in the first paragraph above. To me, this reinforces the idea to audition carefully and to trust your own ears when buying any audio device. - Steve
This is what I found out, after reading articles on design and many review articles dealing specifically with these designs. Are you ready? ....The answer is "it depends". It may or may not be true that a triode mode is purer, with less distortion than the same amp run in UL mode. It may or may not be true that UL produces a bigger quality sound than the same amp run in triode mode. The results depend entirely upon the design of the amp. There are amps, that when run in triode, have more distortion than when they are run in UL and vice versa. There are amps, that when run in UL can't be played as loudly as when they are run in triode, even though the power is greater! The reason for this is that in these amps design, the distortion in UL is greater than in triode and one can't listen to the UL mode above a certain volume level. There are other amps when run in triode, the distortion at certain frequencies are much more than when run in UL and UL is preferred.
Of course there are many other factors that determine the sound qualities of an amp, but at least I found out that, based on triode or UL design alone, one or the other does not necessarily produce a better sound for any type of music. On the other hand, many of the more popular current designs seem to fit the generalizations in the first paragraph above. To me, this reinforces the idea to audition carefully and to trust your own ears when buying any audio device. - Steve