Tube Sound VS Solid State Blind Test

[babadono]

6 hours ago, wdecho said:

Boring conventional speakers sound the same dull way

Ya mean like the speakers in those Fender amps?

[amb3cog]

I'm not sure it's all that simple for me, but maybe since I have found a combo or two I could tolerate. None as long as tubes though. I should have mentioned I have a medical issue that makes it worse for me. They think I grind my teeth when I sleep. Which affects the muscles between my jaw, and ears. Which affects my hearing. I have tinnitus from it too. And since I love the tubes for many other reasons too. I'm sticking with them.

 

I've used class D also in my car, and still have the same issue unfortunately. Speakers seem to matter a lot. My KLH Model 33's seem to be fine on all the amps I've tried, and my new large Advents 5012/w, with original fried egg tweeters though, are okay. But my Pinnacle PN8+'s bother me on all the SS I've tried, but not on tubes. They also went from okay to amazing on my SET/SEP. Although their greatest asset in SS, the bass, was lost on it. But the tweeter really surprised me on a good amp. I need to try those on my HH Scott 200 now that I'm thinking about it. It's got more bass. 

 

I always wondered about class A SS though, and almost bought a Monarchy one, instead of my SET/SEP. One of these days I want to try a Nelson Pass Class A. Probably a clone though. I am also eventually going to do an active system, and was thinking class A SS would be nice for the low bass. 

[Travis In Austin]

On 12/14/2017 at 7:38 PM, derrickdj1 said:

There is a difference in tube sound vs SS.  It takes time to train the ear and a good source.  One is not necessarily better or worse, just a preference.  A tube and SS amp can be level matched which is crude.  The bottom line is that it is near impossible to match the two.  This will affect what you hear and like.

He has gone into digital with then youtube, it could be level matched very precisely.

 

I think the bigger problem is they are at a different EQ.

[easyone]

Maybe I missed it, but did he tell us exactly what tubes were being used in the amplifier? The exact tube types and the quality of the tubes would have a major impact. I also heard sample B as being set at a higher volume especially in the 2nd test riff.

 

I did not play the samples on a hi-fi system, so I really did not hear the guitar samples with a quality that a good system would provide. I guessed the answer correctly mostly because of sample A being a more subtle and rounded off sound. The B samples sounded more engineered to me so I figured it was probably the filtered sound on the newer amp.