Coytee Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I've often wondered if I could tell a difference between a good tube and solid state amplifier Keep in mind, the original question was a "MAJOR difference". I'd agree that different amps will have different sounds... my contention is that (presuming them all to be properly working in their range) I'd suggest that you'd hear a more "major" difference in sound swapping between speakers or fixing room issues than you would by simply swapping amps while keeping the speakers and the room the same. I can go put a pair of (insert name of $50,000 amps), or Mark's pCats or a lowely little Sony solid state and my room is STILL going to have a resonance at roughly 90 hz that will muddy up all of them. My suggestion is, I'd have more of a "major difference" in my sound if (when) I fix that resonance than I would have by simply swapping out amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 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 Or someone neads some ear repair..... It would be easy for me to accept someone prefering SS buts its nearly impossible to not hear the difference... The better the speaker the easier it should be to tell the difference.... Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 But now, put a big thick curtain between you and he, and see how you like the sound? Well my friend does not play the cello very well, so it sounds better with the big thick curtain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Audible Illusions Modulus and a HotRod Stereo 70,I used to have that system in high school.........hang on, the damn phone's ringing again. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I don't have any Marie Osmond, sorry...Gonna have to hit Indy up for that[] LOL Couldn't hep mesef Rog[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 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. More true words have not been spoken!!!![Y][Y][Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 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 Or someone neads some ear repair..... It would be easy for me to accept someone prefering SS buts its nearly impossible to not hear the difference... The better the speaker the easier it should be to tell the difference.... Craig Agree Differnce for me is with tubes I can feel the breath of Holly Cole or Diana Krall on my neck. With SS they are singing on the other side of the room. Analogy ALSO -effortlessly locating the voices or instuments in space -depth or 3D aspects of soundstage, height also -details in attack and decay (very important to me) -instumental realism with familiar instrumets I hear monthly; Horns, Drums (High School Orchestra); I hear real guitars and piano less frequently unfortunately -lack of fatigue; it is not unusual for me to sit for 3-6 hours without moving from the sweet spot (is getting up to go to the bathroom a big inconvenience?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Difference for me is with tubes I can feel the breath of Holly Cole or Diana Krall on my neck. With SS they are singing on the other side of the room. With that material, sounds like SS is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 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. More true words have not been spoken!!!! I don't think I have ever read anything on these forums that I can begin to agree upon as much as the above statement. 1) Best speakers you can possibly afford 2) Acoustics, Acoustics, Acoustics, reads just like Location, Location, Location, and just as impoertant!!! 3) Then worry about electronics. Pre amp and amp first. I can't tell you how much it maks me want to puke when I see major speakers and major hardware shoved into an acoustical nightmare!!! Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 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. More true words have not been spoken!!!! I don't think I have ever read anything on these forums that I can begin to agree upon as much as the above statement. 1) Best speakers you can possibly afford 2) Acoustics, Acoustics, Acoustics, reads just like Location, Location, Location, and just as impoertant!!! 3) Then worry about electronics. Pre amp and amp first. I can't tell you how much it maks me want to puke when I see major speakers and major hardware shoved into an acoustical nightmare!!! Roger Not a slap Roger, but it's easier for some of us to try to 'overcompensate' with what we have as a house and do the best we can then to buy around a system that we didn't own when the shelter was purchased. Next home purchase will be gone into with a lot more thought into this. Or at least as much as the boss will allow.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 The rhetorical problem here - as always - is: "major difference" in what exactly? Distortion? Grunge? Clarity? Frequency response? Texture? Tonal color? Dimensionality? I agree 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Not a slap Roger, but it's easier for some of us to try to 'overcompensate' with what we have as a house and do the best we can then to buy around a system that we didn't own when the shelter was purchased. Next home purchase will be gone into with a lot more thought into this. Or at least as much as the boss will allow Not a slap (but maybe an attempt at a smack? []) I'd contend that you are still washing your sound in the same sink. Using my home as an analogy, no matter what I do to my system parts, I'm still putting them into an environment that in a sense, sucks. I can overcompensate all I want and buy all the expensive speakers, amps, preamps, interconnects, magic crystals I want... I'm still going to wash the sound of these speakers in this same environment. I've gone from knowing virtually nothing about room acoustics to knowing .00000000000000000000000000000272893 [^o)] I'm sure that most here have forgotten more stuff on room acoustics in the last 10 blinks of their eyes, then I've ever known. Everything I've read just seems to make logical sense that half the battle is getting the sound to arrive at your ears properly. Otherwise you might (are?) going to get that smearing of sound that some people are so loath to listen to and swap out amps and the like in their pursuit of eliminating it. You know, the blanket over the Cello kinda thing [8] I certainly might be wrong but I DO know for sure that swapping out different amps, preamps, cd players and yes, even speakers in my specific room has ALL done nothing, zilch, zippo, nada to remove some of the muddiness in the room. If I've changed out all those parts, yet the problem remains, then my brain tells me it has to conclude (perhaps in error, just to be fair) that those parts are not the problem, it's something else. What is the other consistent but the room itself? So, if I have something else as the problem, how can I honestly evaluate the sound of those things since they are all being listened to in a compromised environment? Other than of course, they are ALL being heard in the same environment so maybe since that part is consistent, it's ok? I dunno... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Not a slap Roger, but it's easier for some of us to try to 'overcompensate' with what we have as a house and do the best we can then to buy around a system that we didn't own when the shelter was purchased. Next home purchase will be gone into with a lot more thought into this. Or at least as much as the boss will allow Not a slap (but maybe an attempt at a smack? ) I'd contend that you are still washing your sound in the same sink. Using my home as an analogy, no matter what I do to my system parts, I'm still putting them into an environment that in a sense, sucks. I can overcompensate all I want and buy all the expensive speakers, amps, preamps, interconnects, magic crystals I want... I'm still going to wash the sound of these speakers in this same environment. I've gone from knowing virtually nothing about room acoustics to knowing .00000000000000000000000000000272893 I'm sure that most here have forgotten more stuff on room acoustics in the last 10 blinks of their eyes, then I've ever known. Everything I've read just seems to make logical sense that half the battle is getting the sound to arrive at your ears properly. Otherwise you might (are?) going to get that smearing of sound that some people are so loath to listen to and swap out amps and the like in their pursuit of eliminating it. You know, the blanket over the Cello kinda thing I certainly might be wrong but I DO know for sure that swapping out different amps, preamps, cd players and yes, even speakers in my specific room has ALL done nothing, zilch, zippo, nada to remove some of the muddiness in the room. If I've changed out all those parts, yet the problem remains, then my brain tells me it has to conclude (perhaps in error, just to be fair) that those parts are not the problem, it's something else. What is the other consistent but the room itself? So, if I have something else as the problem, how can I honestly evaluate the sound of those things since they are all being listened to in a compromised environment? Other than of course, they are ALL being heard in the same environment so maybe since that part is consistent, it's ok? I dunno... Richard, Ever been to Salt Lake City to where the Mormon Tabernacle Quoir sings. I forget the exact dimentions, but they used to drop a straight pin on the pulpet during the tour, to prove that you could hear it hit at the back of the room. Acoustics, Acoustics, Acoustics!! I totally agree with you. I don't understand how people can spend as much on gear, as an addition to their home would cost, then shove such a settup into an acoustical nightmare. I plan on an addition to the house when my system is done for just this reason, and NO, the room will not have windows. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Difference for me is with tubes I can feel the breath of Holly Cole or Diana Krall on my neck. With SS they are singing on the other side of the room. With that material, sounds like SS is the way to go. Ba Da Boom! Glad someone enjoyed me lobbing in that softball. Spoken like a true Metal Head Dean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I plan on an addition to the house when my system is done for just this reason, and NO, the room will not have windows. ==================== Missing one wall works for me. Keeps reflections down. A room with non parralell walls and cieling would be interesting but hey it is more fun spending money on gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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