Tubes VS solid state for my JBL 4520 ?

[retro soulman]

hello! Its time for a new power amp for my system! For years i use a Soundvalves vta 70 power tube amp! 2x35 watts with lovely sound ! The question is tubes or solid state?

I love vintage power amps... Phase linears, Ampzilla's, SAE, etc but i really scare of them... Many of all these old beast dont have dc protection and i really dont want to loose any of my speakers or drivers. I also love the tube sound!! its warm with the details i want... They said that sold state got more detail but im scared that with solid state my horns will become harsh and with tiresome sound.

i have found a pair of monoblocks Klimo kent amps for the same price with a pair of ampzilla power amp and GAS Phaedra preamp so i really think what to choose!!!

here are some photos of my system

63943 639446394563947

[Allanvh5150]

Most tube amps have perfect DC protection. It is called the output transformer.

Allan :)

[Horn Fanatic]

hello! Its time for a new power amp for my system! For years i use a Soundvalves vta 70 power tube amp! 2x35 watts with lovely sound ! The question is tubes or solid state?

I love vintage power amps... Phase linears, Ampzilla's, SAE, etc but i really scare of them... Many of all these old beast dont have dc protection and i really dont want to loose any of my speakers or drivers. I also love the tube sound!! its warm with the details i want... They said that sold state got more detail but im scared that with solid state my horns will become harsh and with tiresome sound.

i have found a pair of monoblocks Klimo kent amps for the same price with a pair of ampzilla power amp and GAS Phaedra preamp so i really think what to choose!!!

here are some photos of my system

63943 639446394563947

My Greek friend, vacuum tubes is always the way to go! Vacuum tubes and horn systems are a match made in heaven. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

H.F. :)

[retro soulman]

My Greek friend, vacuum tubes is always the way to go! Vacuum tubes and horn systems are a match made in heaven. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

H.F. :)


that was my thought also :))

[JoeNelis]

My Greek friend, vacuum tubes is always the way to go! Vacuum tubes and horn systems are a match made in heaven. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

H.F. :)

horn fanatic nailed it tube is king with horns. I use Mcintosh tube with my horn system matched with a quality beer and its drool time :p:p

[Fort Knox]

The Transistor had its orig. in-line/phone/ amps to cut down field main.
How they got into hi-fi is the same old story as other compromises
(like head phones) People buy "new" market (cheap)items....and before you
know it ..there a new modern convenience...here to stay... Tubes Rule

[hjames]

The Transistor had its orig. in-line/phone/ amps to cut down field main.
How they got into hi-fi is the same old story as other compromises
(like head phones) People buy "new" market (cheap)items....and before you
know it ..there a new modern convenience...here to stay... Tubes Rule

Tubes are great with high efficiency speaker systems - but when you get to some of the sealed box/low efficiency systems that want mega-watts to really get going, transistor gear is ever so much cheaper at those kind of levels. And everyone knows there are clean transistor-based amps.


Understand that my multichannel system downstairs (Vandersteens) is sand based -
and the upstairs system (Von Schweikerts or JBL L200+ w/horns) is tube driven ... so, not a hater ...

[Fort Knox]

Tubes are great with high efficiency speaker systems - but when you get to some of the sealed box/low efficiency systems that want mega-watts to really get going, transistor gear is ever so much cheaper at those kind of levels. And everyone knows there are clean transistor-based amps.


Understand that my multichannel system downstairs (Vandersteens) is sand based -
and the upstairs system (Von Schweikerts or JBL L200+ w/horns) is tube driven ... so, not a hater ...

Do you have the Vandersteens that look like the Twin Trade Towers....

[hjames]

Do you have the Vandersteens that look like the Twin Trade Towers....
All the affordable Vandersteens look pretty much the same - tall columns with wood cap and footer, wrapped in cloth.
Some are 2 ways, some are 3 ways, some are 4 ways (series 1, 2 or 3) .
When you get to the higher end models they go to fancy piano finish and such ...

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=62146&d=1399897182


the 7.1 Surround system downstairs is:

JBL 4641 sub in front right (concealed by black cloth)
Pair of Vandersteen 3As as mains
Vandersteen VCC1 on console as Center
Pair of Vandersteen 2CEs as side surrounds
Pair of DCM TF-600 (TimeFrame 600/Transmission Line speakers) as rear Surrounds.

[Fort Knox]

They fit good in space avail....like NY you can always go up...
As for Tubes I, too, use a solid amp for sub...its cleaner...in a world of low lows..

[Allanvh5150]

There are plenty of high power tube amps coming up on Ebay all the time. This is one of the higher quality items but can still be had for a reasonable price and will drive anything you can throw at it.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Out_of%20_Production/The_Baron/the_baron.htm

Allan.

[spkrman57]

I especially like Single Ended tube amps. Class "A" all the way!

Regards, Ron

[Horn Fanatic]

horn fanatic nailed it tube is king with horns. I use Mcintosh tube with my horn system matched with a quality beer and its drool time :p:p

I know a chap who has a pair of stock ALTEC 820 corner enclosures. I had been nagging him to get rid of all his solid state Mac gear and trade up to tubes. Not that it's the latest word in tube amps, but he came by a Scott LK150 stereo power amp. We hooked it up along with his Mac C20 preamp, and OMG! Those speaker lit up.

[Fort Knox]

I know a chap who has a pair of stock ALTEC 820 corner enclosures. I had been nagging him to get rid of all his solid state Mac gear and trade up to tubes. Not that it's the latest word in tube amps, but he came by a Scott LK150 stereo power amp. We hooked it up along with his Mac C20 preamp, and OMG! Those speaker lit up.


Correct me if I'm wrong ..but, does one get better results, if the input
side of a tube bass is over driven...

[Ducatista47]

I love vintage power amps... Phase linears, Ampzilla's, SAE, etc... I also love the tube sound!! its warm with the details i want... They said that sold state got more detail but im scared that with solid state my horns will become harsh and with tiresome sound.

I believe this is the answer. I have gone both ways with this in the past and have little to add to any tube vs solid state discussion. Technically, there is no contest. Like vinyl vs digital, there is tons more distortion in a typical tube amp than a solid state model designed as well. But for any personal choice of gear knowing what you like, and this quote makes it crystal clear that you do, is what matters. Given the caveat that non OTL is vital for speaker protection, tubes it is.

If solid state is still of interest, note that a good design will have a JFET input stage, many do these days, and a MOSFET output. That and an adequate power supply would be an apples to apples comparison with a well designed tube amp. Bipolar transistors are good as an element of constant current sources and other regulation (like rectification), but they are not a natural for analogue processing.

I have ended up preferring what solid state does, but that is my journey. Everyone likes their own kind of distortion; it's just that my choice has ended up being as little as possible, and like flat reproduction that is not a popular choice these days. You love the way tubes sound, so the choice is obvious.

[speakerdave]

A McIntosh solid state power amp with autoformers, in the 200 wpc range might be worth trying. It will give you the DC protection you want. I ran very efficient speakers with 60 wpc tubes for a long time, but when I turned it up it would get to sounding a little stuffed. I think now that the amp was reaching its limits, but as they say, tube amps don't clip as harshly as solid state amps. I don't know why. Anyway, an MC2200 changed that. It was a second generation autoformer McIntosh amp. Later ones are no doubt better, and certainly more expensive.