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What would it take to get you to go SS again?


Audio Flynn

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I dont think I would ever replace my tube amps with SS. I would consider however having the option of listening to high powered clean ss everynow and then for the rare times I listen to music that doesn't utilize actual instruments. Electronic music and heavily produced stuff more than likely sounds better on ss. I do not think that a piano, sax, acoustic guitar, real drums, or actual voices would sound as pleasing with SS. Kanye West or Brittney Spears would more that likely sound better on SS. Please note I did not say they would sound good.

Josh

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I've been into tube gear since I was about 25. The SS gear I have listened to on Heritage Klipsch just hasn't cut it for me but YMMV. I mostly listen to CDs but would gladly get vinyl spinning again if anyone has a Thorens TP 30 to send me :) The Kaisers BAT tube pre SS power with B&W speakers sure does sound good. Personal opinions should vary widely or this would be one boring place :)

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Well I did it about 5 years ago and never looked back. The main driving force was the birth of my daughter - I just didnt want to risk her getting too close to tubes (so you have any idea what is in a tube? - We are not talking good stuff for kids).

Frankly - when mated with the tube pre-amp there is precious little difference. Its also interesting to note that when the 30 odd audiophiles of ACA descended on my house half of the questions were - "What tubes are you running in that amp?"

I had to explain - repeatedly - that this was not a tube amp.

Its also worth re-iterating that I could implement a tube amp that sounds very much like an SS amp.

In the end its the sound that rules - once the safety issue is moot. Now that my daughter is a bit more grown up I could go back to tubes - its just not the thing I would first think of for improving my sound.

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Its also worth re-iterating that I could implement a tube amp that sounds very much like an SS amp.

In the end its the sound that rules - once the safety issue is moot. Now that my daughter is a bit more grown up I could go back to tubes - its just not the thing I would first think of for improving my sound.

Here, here!!! I couldn't agree more, Max.

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Uh, I think it more likely that because Max had been running tube gear for so long they just assumed it was tubes. What it actually demonstrates is what I've come to realize for some time now; "audiophiles" often simply hear what they want to hear, what they expect or think they should hear, or what they are told to hear. If you listen without bias, there are surprises.

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I loved my tubes but the large IcePower ASP1000 based amplifiers sound very similar to tubes. The big plus for me was the power and control afforded by the large IcePower amps with next to zero noise. Lack of noise compared to a lot of tube amps and no grain as in typical SS amps really helps when you have very efficient speakers. Listener fatigue goes bye-bye.

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and they loose thier hearing.

Maybe - but read all the new griping news reports about CDs with 3dB dynamic range,
and then get back to me. It appears we have enough hearing to know that ain't music.Big Smile

Perfect response Mark.

Reminds me of an old saying from this GM Engineer when I was a pup.

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time.

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mdeneen,

What I find similar about the large IcePower amps and tubes is the lack of grain and the round/smoothness of the "tube like" sound (not hard like typical SS). What is very different is the lack of distortion, very quiet, and ultimate control of the bass that tubes don't typically approach. They aren't at all thin and lacking body as a number of switching amps do. They provide very good midrange along with extreme amounts of detail without grain/glare. Nothing is glossed over.

Most people discount them for what they are, SS amps, though these amps should be listened to.

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mdeneen,

If you want to go with the largest ones that are supposed to be the best sounding, 1000ASP modules, they can be had for under $1500 for a stereo amp (d-sonic.net) to the sky's the limit. I have the Bel Canto REF1000 mono's and they are $1995 each new but show up on Audiogon for around $2500 or so. Another good company is Murano Audio of which I have the 100w/8 ohm and 250w/8 ohm versions of the IcePower chips. These also double their output at 4ohms and are claimed to be soft clipping. They can also be had for very inexpensive prices though the sound is different (maybe better so some ears). Do some searching on IcePower and 1000ASP. You'll get a fair number of hits.

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I dunno......Max, why did they think it was tubes?

Oh, those dreaded "audiophiles" again, eh? Big Smile Well, I will say that I am sure they DO listen for different things than "moviephiles."Big Smile

I said "some" audiophiles. I'm cool with audiophiles, I put it in quotes because some will write something off without having heard it, doesn't fit into their paradigm, or doesn't sound like what they're used to. Some contract audionervosa if someone criticizes their choices or preferences.

British sports cars are fun to drive, but so is a Corvette -- and you don't have spend the whole weekend in the garage working on it to keep it running.

Yeah, good movies are cool, and most of the concert DVD's I own make most of my CD's sound like total crap by comparison. I used to do plenty of vinyl too, and had more into my MC than I had into my loudspeakers -- who are some of you trying to kid -- I've heard a lot of bad recorded vinyl in my time.

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I'm fortunate that I get to listen to a lot of different gear daily and judge for myself what I like and don't like. I loved the convenience of the old Crown DC300 and DC300A which are my fav SS pieces. It's probably because I grew 30+ years with them. I basically stored and sold my tube gear up until about 3 years ago and swore I wouldn't go back to tubes.

I bid on a little Lafayette 12wpc tube integrated on Ebay and won it for $26 give or take a couple of bucks and once I gave that little bugger a test listen I couldn't go back to SS for quality listening. Over the next year I sold off most of my old Crown stuff and concentrated on learning the quirks of tubes again. I love the sound of tubes and spent my kids inheritance on quality amps, preamps, and tube CDPs. (I bought an old Tandberg Tube stereo Reel to reel yesterday that's beautiful)

It is a hobby also but for MY PREFERRED listening tubes when properly dialed in (rolled) give me a greater pleasure in my music listening. I now not only listen to make sure something is working properly after a repair, trade in, or purchase, but I can listen for pleasure. It's something I ceased to do when only listening to SS.

I've also noticed most people who make a living in repairs, restoration, manufacture, of audio components are running tubes for their personal systems. Or maybe I've just taken my love of audio in the direction of the tube world and those with the same tastes I have.

I've also noticed a lot of my tube gear and system sales lately are to women. When they want a complete system to listen to they will choose Tube Gear over SS almost exclusively. It's not a selling push by me but they prefer tube sound over SS after listening to the components. I have a lot of quality gear on both sides of the fence.

BTW, the gals are getting into the big Klipsch Heritage speakers also. See, size does matter after all.

Harry

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I switched to solid state amps late last year after several years of using tubes in my main system. The result has been very good. I kept my tube preamp in the system (key point) and I have an overall sound very similar to what I had with pure tubes.......but with much more power now. I feel the bass authority and bass clarity have improved and I suffer no analytical or grainy sound up top........sounds like tubes to me and I don't wait 8 hours to hear the system peak..

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Thanks for remembering me Mark!

For the moment, all is well. The weight loss surgery was a very positive step for me. I have now just about stoped loosing weight and I am now officialy 1/2 the man I used to be. I have lost 185# and I now weigh 184! The kidney surgery also went well, I am all healed up and things are looking good but I still need more tests to be sure the tumors are gone!

I have dropped by here from time to time but never for very long. I sure did miss you guys, I hope to regain my lost status bar over my post count soon!

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