A serious question never having owned

[USNRET]

any tube stuff. I have toyed with the idea but I am ignorant of the "upkeep" and the requirement to tube roll for a sound. Really now guys, no BS. Would a person hear a MAJOR difference going from SS to tubes given a price point? Case in point, going from McIntosh C-28 and MC-2125 tuned and working fine to whatever would be an equal trade in resale value, would I have a great difference? Open ended question and now I'm getting the come here from the wife so I will leave it at this for now.

Forgive me, please!

[Guest " "]

"Would a person hear a MAJOR difference going from SS to tubes given a price point?"

It depends....there are awesome sounding SS and awesome sounding tube gear....if you have something you like...stay with it...don't burden your thoughts with what could sond better....let the tunes roll.

[Bill H.]

From my view point I'd say you presently have a Fantastic system that others (ME) drool over. There is always going to be a "What if" for every thing.

Enjoy you present setup, and family and relax.................JMHO............

[Coytee]

Would a person hear a MAJOR difference going from SS to tubes given a price point?

I'm afraid that my tin ears would say "no".

I had two McIntosh MC-30's (considered by some as a holy grail), a McIntosh MC-2102 and some smaller powered amps. Now I've got some Crown K2's.

To me, it goes back to the old adage... find some speakers you like and then buy your electronics.

I would contend (and have) that if you got even BIGGER speakers for "X" dollars, that alone would probably satisfy you more than spending that same "X" dollars on a fancy amp of ANY kind.

Put another way... (again, this is all in my opinion and experience)

I'd suggest that keeping your same speakers and swapping out to a tube amp would be very similar to

You & I going out to dinner and you trying to tell which steak had 4 verses 5 shakes of salt on it (going from good tube to SS or vice versa)

as contrasted with

You & I going out to dinner and you trying to tell which plate was a steak and which plate was chicken. (going from good speakers to even better speakers on SAME amps)

I got into a chit chat once with Craig (yeah, one of those Jubilee threads where he was lusting after more knowledge []). I made the inquiry/suggestion that an old transister radio plugged into Khorns would probalby sound better than the speaker FROM that transister radio played over the most fancy amp (tubed or not) of any kind.

[USNRET]

"Would a person hear a MAJOR difference going from SS to tubes given a price point?"

It depends....there are awesome sounding SS and awesome sounding tube gear....if you have something you like...stay with it...don't burden your thoughts with what could sond better....let the tunes roll.

I just friggin knew there wasn't an answer to this. I used to own several Onkyo M-508 amps into my Chorus, Quart etc before I got the Belles. Funny that while I was missing something (what?????) I never even considered getting rid of the Klipsch and I don't know why. What would I replace them with? I got the McIntosh and I went WOW! Then I got the Belles and I went WOW! WTF is it that I still am missing? 30+ years of being around aircraft noise but darn it I want want to hear and feel the sound (not sub woofer boom). Sometimes I think that my speakers (system) doesn't have....something .... in the mid to lower mid range and I should be losing high freq. stuff even though tests prove that I have lost 5 db at most. Room? While not anywhere near optimal, I have placed treatments to counteract.

OK, I just got word that an work problem I have been fighting for 10 days got fixed so I should be happy. Where is my warm (?) sound?

[sheltie dave]

The best thing you could do is take some of your favorite music to a nearby Georgia house with Klipsch and tubes, and have a listen. Bruce has a couple fine systems and accoustic instruments to boot, so you might be able to listen and calibrate your ears to live music as well. If you could catch him, or another local member, it would be worth a trip to see what the trip is.

I found the main differences to be subtle but important, to the point where I will always have a top notch tube setup in the house.

[USNRET]

Coytee, OT here but we are awaiting word from Terry when he can 'one day' the preamp and then we will be diving up to Knoxville for the day (20-22nd) and then to CigarBum's to impose on him for a time. Bob, get the ceeegars and whiskey ready. Sorry, I do not have any Lawrence Welk vinyl.

[Guest David H]

Where is my warm (?) sound?

I asked my father once, do tube really give ou warmer sound? He replied absolutely, on cold days he puts his feet on top of his tube amps and the warmth fills the room.

I personally love the sound of tubes, but I suggest you borrow some if possible and give em a test run before purchasing. I have both, and both sound good. However, I prefer my tubes so my SS gear has been in a cabinet for the last few years.

[Marvel]

I think Dave just invited you to my house...[*-)] I'm just south of the Chickamauga Battlefield. Isn't Dallas on the northwest side of Atlanta? I have LaScalas, normally powered my my 3.5watt SET amps. I'm not fancy with it all, I hook it up and I like it or I don't. I also have a redone Dynaco ST-70, at 35 watts per, that I could hook up. Or some SS...

If you stop by I can loan you some Lawrence Welk I inherited... No, you can HAVE the Lawrence Welk! [] I don't have any Marie Osmond, sorry...

Bruce

[russ69]

USNRET,

For me it would depend where you wanted to take your system. A big solid state amp has power and punch that you can't get out of a tube amp (at least not in the price range I shop in). On the other hand some tube amps can add depth, some warmness and some space. If your system has weaknesses (all systems do) it is ONE way to move the sound in a particular direction. Upkeep is not an issue (anybody can bias an amp) unless you are one of those guys that leave your system on 24/7.

I'd say borrow a good tube pre and see if you like it. I'm strictly a tube guy but my brother has a very fine system with solid state amps so I think you can get both types to work just fine.

Thanx, Russ

[sunburnwilly]

Are you willing to take on another hobby ?

[Marvel]

so I think you can get both types to work just fine.

It's all about the music!

[joshnich]

Would a person hear a MAJOR difference going from SS to tubes given a price point?

I'm afraid that my tin ears would say "no".

I had two McIntosh MC-30's (considered by some as a holy grail), a McIntosh MC-2102 and some smaller powered amps. Now I've got some Crown K2's.

To me, it goes back to the old adage... find some speakers you like and then buy your electronics.

I would contend (and have) that if you got even BIGGER speakers for "X" dollars, that alone would probably satisfy you more than spending that same "X" dollars on a fancy amp of ANY kind.

Put another way... (again, this is all in my opinion and experience)

I'd suggest that keeping your same speakers and swapping out to a tube amp would be very similar to

You & I going out to dinner and you trying to tell which steak had 4 verses 5 shakes of salt on it (going from good tube to SS or vice versa)

as contrasted with

You & I going out to dinner and you trying to tell which plate was a steak and which plate was chicken. (going from good speakers to even better speakers on SAME amps)

I got into a chit chat once with Craig (yeah, one of those Jubilee threads where he was lusting after more knowledge ). I made the inquiry/suggestion that an old transister radio plugged into Khorns would probalby sound better than the speaker FROM that transister radio played over the most fancy amp (tubed or not) of any kind.

I would agree with those who say that either a well designed ss or tube amp will sound good, But not hearing a major difference quite honestly has me re-assessing the need for jubs!

Josh

[oldtimer]

Difference? Maybe. Better? Well that would be up to you. On Mallette's Khorns there was really not much difference between the panny digital and what i seem to remember as the ST-70. Except the heat from the ST made itself known by the end of the the day. Listen and try to keep religion out of it.

[sheltie dave]

Hey Bruce, it just kinda slipped out. :-)

Seriously, it strikes me that musicians are better able to explain why they can quantify differences between tube and solid state gear, and point out the differences when they are available. Retired is also welcome up here in St. Louis, but I think he can make it to your place first.

If you go up to Peoria for any reason soon, make sure you include a pit stop here in the Gateway city, Bruce. We have plenty of tubes and foreign beers now...

[BLSamuel]

Listen and try to keep religion out of it.

Oldtime is straying from the flock brethren!

We must pray, pray, pray for his musical soul!

Come on OT, roll some tubes brother!

The darkness that is solid state is about to overwhelm our good brother!

Repent, I say repent, to the musical truth that only tubes can supply!

Tear, I say tear, yourself away from the darkness that is solid state!

It's not too late to save your musical soul!

Get out your credit card and call 1-555-TUBEFIX before it's too late. Overnight rush orders are available on in stock tubes and equipment.

[CIGARBUM]

God, I guess I'll have to clean the house, Mike and Family are coming. All other provisions are in place Jam Blue Mt, Makers Mark, lot of Cubans. If your lucky I'll have that silly MC275 back from the shop and you can listen to the difference between the MC7200N and the MC275, speakers will be the Cornwalls and the LaScalas. Personnally, I don't believe you will hear much diffference, is there a difference, yes, depending on what your listening to, as the man said just listen to the music.

See ya in a few days

Bob

[BLSamuel]

More to the point, ALL amplifiers "sound different" if you are paying attention to those things that define those differences. If not, they all sound about the same.

I've often wondered if I could tell a difference between a good tube and solid state amplifier. It should be fun to try someday. Shoot me if I ever get crazy looking for miniscule differences but a dang, that just sounds right revelation is what I'd hope for.

I think it'd be pretty easy to tell the difference between a cheap amplifier with low current capability and a good high current amplifier.

In any case, I've always thought it'd be cool to have some tube equipment because it looks so cool. Even better if it sounds better than solid state....

[Coytee]

But not hearing a major difference quite honestly has me re-assessing the need for jubs!

For the record, most of my amp swapping (Wright 2A3's, Transcendent SE-OTL, McIntosh MC-30's, McIntosh MC-2102, dbx BX1, dbx BX3) was done while I had Klipschorns and NOT the Jubilees [<)] Sorry to ruin your thought process.

By the time I had the Jubilees, I had sold the Wrights, SE-OTL's MC-30's and soon after I got the Jubilees, the BX1 and MC-2102 went.

I'll suggest again... in my opinion, the speaker is the first thing to worry about... the room is probalby the second thing to worry about and THEN I'd think the electronics would fall into place as an item of major influence on the sound.

[Y]

[USNRET]

I'll suggest again... in my opinion, the speaker is the first thing to worry about... the room is probalby the second thing to worry about and THEN I'd think the electronics would fall into place as an item of major influence on the sound.

I do know this; there was quite a difference in depth and sound stage width (sweet spot went from a single seat to sofa width) when I went from Onkyo P-3060 and M-504s/M-508s to the McIntosh. I tried Fosgate and it shrank again.