Are medium power push pull tube amplifiers more articulate than high powered units?


I have read numerous times that, allowing for similar quality or the same manufacturer, medium powered (60-80 watts) push pull tube amplifiers are more articulate/laccurate/less distortion than higher powered tube amplifiers (100-300 Wpc). I know everything depends on design, amplification class, parts quality, etc of the push pull tube amplifier, but do most agree with this generalization. If generally true, is it related to the numerous pairs of push pull output tubes which need to be summed at the output of higher powered designs? Some feel that if you want 100 Wpc or more, solid state should be strongly considered.  Thanks for all your opinions in advance.  Norm
normie57
the "multi tube per rail" detail smearing problem exists in solid state as well.

the ’sweetest’ sound of any given amplifier line up is the single pair output devices or even single ended. A 20 year long living example was always the Bryston 4b vs the 3b vs the 2b. Essentially the circuit between them was the same, but the 2b was always the sweetest of the bunch. Only one pair of output devices per channel on that one.


More interesting ways of trying to solve the problem are amplifiers that use the same output device (regarding transistor designs - being more rare in that arena), which you’ll have to look closely at the specs or product information to find. The BHK series of amps from PS audio are done that way, all the way down to the cheap (DIY-rebuilds) favorite (this week’s flavor) of the Realistic SA-1000 integrated amplifier.

Execution of the given circuit also counts, obviously. There is so much overlap not just in amps but the rest of the given system, that this all important point of understanding you are aiming at - can be difficult to discern. Or even hold onto, in the face of the onslaught from the rest of the sometimes forcefully opinionated audio world that may be out there.

Usually, if one is asking this particular question, then one is beginning to knock down the correct doors, regarding one’s search for the best sounding gear that is also more correctly reproducing what the hear expects to hear, with a music signal.

Keep asking and looking for the sonic tonic or solution to this particular problem and your ears will eventually hone in on the correct parameters for proper reproduction of the most critical of the signal components -regarding how the ear works. Your mind and ears will learn as a pair due to correct focus and the expected learning from such a path.

Congratulations, you are walking down the correct road with the correct questions. You are in the act of building a stable reference of discernment. Your ears and mind -working together- to put yourself in front of the gear you might think embodies these given critical aspects... and then learning from what you hear..learning in that all important way..the way of --correct context/pairing of question and answer.

This will lead to learned discernment of this fundamental point being applied to the rest of the distortion problems and the sussing out of those as well. What you first need to do is to learn, with your ear/brain..this all important micro signal differential..and it will lead you successfully though the rest, over time.

To help relate on how important this issue is, how germane to the scenario and audio scene it is....I'd say it is one of the biggest quandaries in perfectionist audio amplifier design that existed at the beginning and still exists today.
We've been led to believe for years that home audio systems need a lot of power to allow enough sonic headroom to sound their best, and certainly low efficiency speakers often need ultimately more juice to get moving. Or your 15,000 square foot mansion has a really large listening room where crowds wanna dance. The alternative of less efficient OTL, single ended tube, or other pure class A somewhat lower powered amps used with reasonably efficient speakers simply offers choices that differ with the high power school of design, and often result in more music for the buck. I've gone all the way from 250 watt per side power amps and various well designed high current class A biased SS or push pull tube designs, to a small 12 watt per side single ended power amp. The latter design seems to sound a LOT better to me, and I can't imagine going back to the former.
I'm a real happy camper with my simple push-pull F5. I've got it making about 40wpc and that's plenty. I've become a big fan of simple. I'm not so sure about tubes. Never played with them. I've been thinking about a tube pre-amp which seem to me to be the best place to use tubes. 

Please accept my apologies in advance if I'm mistaken. I believe Atmasphere has suggested in the past here on Audigon; that in larger tube designs that the transformers required could potentially lead to high frequency roll off. I could imagine that that might be perceived as being less articulate.

FWIW, to my ears the sweet spot with the above mentioned Brystons (though in my case it was the ST series) was the 3BST.

The few ss amps that I've heard that used a minimum number of output devices tended to sound warm and sweet, but soft and a bit lacking in bass. YMMV!