Can we talk about tube amps?

[derrickdj1]

I looked up the amp and it is 9 W.  How large is the room? With bookshelf speakers and small towers, a subwoofer is needed and not an option if you want good bass and add some headroom for the midrange and Hi's.

 

I have an all digital setup and the source can make a difference like, 24 vs 32 bit recordings.

[DirtyErnie]

That's not 'tube compression', that's a good amplifier allowing you to hear how much compression happens to music these days.  
After spending a few years in a recording studio, I almost can't listen to music on the radio anymore.  All I hear are the compressors squashing and releasing.
Welcome to my world.

[NOSValves]

On 1/13/2024 at 11:10 AM, Cacti said:

 

It's a push-pull type amp with third-order harmonic distortion. I would love to try an amp with second-order harmonic distortion as it is most pleasing to the ear (so I'm told).

 

 

 

 

My first piece of advice I can give you is stop going by what you're told and go by what YOU hear. This is a self-gratification type hobby. If the sound from your own system pleases you the job is complete. Also do not be so presumptuous as to think just because you love how it sounds others should too!  There are absolutely no absolutes in this hobby. 

 

 

Now onto the rest...I suggest you invest in a better digital front end...if everything is "right" you should hear very little difference in the sound of the two formats. Do not think this requires megabucks to be spent. Look for the latest greatest DAC from 5 or more years ago on the used market and also make sure you are listening to digital recordings up to the task. 

 

     Good Luck Craig

 

 

    PS don't get me wrong I'm a vinyl lover! But digital can sound every bit as good if done right.  

[wuzzzer]

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/forum/109-talkin-tubes/
 

⬆️⬆️⬆️

[Cacti]

On 1/14/2024 at 5:19 AM, henry4841 said:

It is not that it has 3rd order harmonics. I have not seen the spec's on the amp but PP amplifiers cancel out much of all the distortion delivering a very clean signal with the even and odd harmonics below the level of being noticeable or a problem. In a SET tube amplifier a 2nd order harmonic is noticeable which many consider desirable including myself. Some of the best in the sound industry like a little 2nd harmonic and a touch of 3rd in their amplifiers. Some even put some in if it is not there. It is called entertainment.  

 

Adding a simple circuit tube preamplifier will put some 2nd harmonics into the mix if you want to play. 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for this, do you run a SET preamp?

[Bananas and Blow]

On 1/16/2024 at 11:18 AM, NOSValves said:

 

 

My first piece of advice I can give you is stop going by what you're told and go by what YOU hear. This is a self-gratification type hobby. If the sound from your own system pleases you the job is complete. Also do not be so presumptuous as to think just because you love how it sounds pother should too!  There are absolutely no absolutes in this hobby. 

 

 

Now onto the rest...I suggest you invest in a better digital front end...if everything is "right" you should is very little difference in the sound of the two formats. Do not think this requires megabucks to be spent. Look for the latest greatest DAC from 5 or more years ago on the used market and also make sure you are listening to digital recordings up to the task. 

 

     Good Luck Craig

 

 

    PS don't get me wrong I'm a vinyl lover! But digital can sound every bit as good if done right.  

 

Great post. If you haven't found a way to make digital sound good then you are most likely listening to the wrong mastering.

[JohnA]

Yeah, in general all tube amps produce more even order distortion and less odd order distortion, with SS tending to do the opposite.  Yet, all good amps will produce so little distortion, none should be audible. 

 

My first CD player, in 1983, was a marvel in most ways, but also had an edgy, brittle or crunchy sound in the background.  All of my modern disc players have lost that.  Perhaps the D/A converter in your digital source is not doing a good job.  I'll also recommend you look at a good disc player that can decode 24 bit/192 kHz and higher sources.  24/192 retired my Thorens TT.