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Thread: Why do some people like low powered tube amps???

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  1. #1
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    Why do some people like low powered tube amps???

    Stereophile just tested a $10k 10watt tube amp.They claim it sounds so musical and great. It has 4% distortion at 10 watts( bad).How can a tube amp with a lot of distortion sound like the real thing?? A good Solid-State amp with less than .1% distortion and better transient response sounds much more like live sound, than a (piece of crap) tube amp.If you don't like the sound of a good Solid-Stateamp, then you don't like something closer to real live sound. Also a good jazz cd will sound much better then a typical distorted vinyl system!! Tubes and vinyl SUCK compared to a good cd and S.S. amps. If you don't agree with me ,tell me why-RUDY

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    Wowzers, think I'll get a bag of popcorn and some beer; this thread should be interesting.

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    Senior Member richluvsound's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sundown View Post
    Wowzers, think I'll get a bag of popcorn and some beer; this thread should be interesting.


    Hey Rudy ,

    if you think that combo sounds best you ,then who am I to tell you any different ?

    enjoy , Rich

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    Quote Originally Posted by richluvsound View Post
    Hey Rudy ,

    if you think that combo sounds best you ,then who am I to tell you any different ?

    enjoy , Rich
    Lol! I'm actually going to buy some steaks and do some grilling tonight

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    I packed up all my SS amps because the consensus was that they sucked. So i bought some tube amps, and now they suck. Looks like I'm stuck with whistling to myself.

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    Senior Member richluvsound's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JeffW View Post
    I packed up all my SS amps because the consensus was that they sucked. So i bought some tube amps, and now they suck. Looks like I'm stuck with whistling to myself.
    Don't tell me you spent 10k to listen to 4% distortion ?

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    Quote Originally Posted by richluvsound View Post
    Don't tell me you spent 10k to listen to 4% distortion ?
    No, I spent a lot more than that to populate a shed. My tube amps are fairly affordable in comparison, but they're all 40+ years old. No idea of distortion figures, I guess it's a moot point as I'm rapidly running out of topologies.

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    Senior Member richluvsound's Avatar
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    I guess some like chicken mcNuggets and others like Caviar ..... "Please Pass me the fish eggs Jeff ?"

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    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JeffW View Post
    I packed up all my SS amps because the consensus was that they sucked. So i bought some tube amps, and now they suck. Looks like I'm stuck with whistling to myself.
    I grew up with tubes. My first mono system was a Pilot with one JBL 030. Then I went to a Mac C20 and Fisher SA1000 with two 030s. Both tube components needed constant attention with the Mac Clinics eventually replacing everything in the C20 . . . for free . . . just to keep it within specs. I got so tired of replacing teh unique RCA tubes on the Fisher that I traded it on a Crown D150—which is still working fine and sounding great now some forty-years later, and so are the 030s.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    I grew up with tubes. My first mono system was a Pilot with one JBL 030. Then I went to a Mac C20 and Fisher SA1000 with two 030s. Both tube components needed constant attention with the Mac Clinics eventually replacing everything in the C20 . . . for free . . . just to keep it within specs. I got so tired of replacing teh unique RCA tubes on the Fisher that I traded it on a Crown D150—which is still working fine and sounding great now some forty-years later, and so are the 030s.
    My tube amps run common tubes, and my SS amps weren't in the same league as the Crown. If I decide to get back into SS, I'll keep an eye out for some Crown gear.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    I grew up with tubes. My first mono system was a Pilot with one JBL 030. Then I went to a Mac C20 and Fisher SA1000 with two 030s. Both tube components needed constant attention with the Mac Clinics eventually replacing everything in the C20 . . . for free . . . just to keep it within specs. I got so tired of replacing teh unique RCA tubes on the Fisher that I traded it on a Crown D150—which is still working fine and sounding great now some forty-years later, and so are the 030s.
    Yep - the Chinese built Jolida amp I have doesn't have the issues of many tired older tube amps with aging cap and such -
    its nicely made, has a clean 40 watts and a decent warranty, and tubes are pretty cheap and plentiful. Not that I've needed any yet.
    Plus I still have plenty of Adcom amps laying around if I need that bracing SS woofer power.
    That's kind of the best strategy - have plenty of spares for whatever mood strikes you - flexibility.
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    Yep - the Chinese built Jolida amp I have doesn't have the issues of many tired older tube amps with aging cap and such -
    its nicely made, has a clean 40 watts and a decent warranty, and tubes are pretty cheap and plentiful. Not that I've needed any yet.
    Plus I still have plenty of Adcom amps laying around if I need that bracing SS woofer power.
    That's kind of the best strategy - have plenty of spares for whatever mood strikes you - flexibility.
    My tired old tube amps all have brand new caps from some pretty high end cap manufacturers, modernized power supplies, and upgraded, modern input driver boards.

    The only trouble I've had was with cheap Chinese tubes.

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    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JeffW View Post
    My tired old tube amps all have brand new caps from some pretty high end cap manufacturers, modernized power supplies, and upgraded, modern input driver boards.

    The only trouble I've had was with cheap Chinese tubes.
    No Chinese tubes in mine either - it came with Russian tubes (Electroharmonix)
    - tho I swapped in some NOS just for grins. I stayed away from the bottom of the pile Chinese amp makers.

    When I first learned electronics in high school, we did work on a lot of tube gear -
    and although I haven't used that info for many years and have forgotten most of it, I did grow up with that stuff.

    For my "first" tube amp I considered an overbuilt & restored Dynaco - there are a lot of them around,
    and lots of folks do go that route. They are kind of pricey tho, for used gear.
    But a very valued friend had one, and said every couple of years his need some kind of expensive repair,
    and after a couple of those expenses, he bit the bullet and sold it off, and he recommended against that route.

    He loaned me his older Jolida for a demo around Christmas, we tried that for a couple months,
    Emma and I both liked the sound but decided we wanted a bit more power, so I wound up buying a more powerful Jolida amp
    new with part of my tax refund this year. Plus, if I have any problems, the Jolida US distributor is about an hour away in Md.

    To get back to the original topic - "Emma and I both liked the sound" - THAT's why we got a tube amp this year!
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    Quote Originally Posted by rudy sesztak View Post
    Stereophile just tested a $10k 10watt tube amp.They claim it sounds so musical and great.

    abt 90% of Stereopile is dumb crap. Suck it up at your own risk.
    Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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    I agree!!

    I agree with SEAWOLF97. The guys of stereophile are full of crap!!- RUDY

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