CJ CAV50 - triode vs ultralinear

My experience with triode/ultralinear amps has been that ultralinear mode always results in punchier bass and more overall drive at the expense of three dimensionality and purity of tone.

It's always a trade-off, and the discussion about which is preferable goes 'round and 'round.

Tvad's comments match my experience with other triode/ultrlinear switchable amps. Love 'em in triode for chamber and small ensemble jazz for the harmonic "rightness", nuance and delicacy they deliver. Switch to ultralinear for large scale orchestral or rock for the added power and bass control (and just wish they could better deliver that triode magic of mid-range clarity and accuracy of timbre). My experience was with the original Marantz 9 amps, after which C-J then modeled their triode/ultralinear designs. Great work by Bill Thalmann introcing this at C-J.

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thanks, in which case i think i'll settle for triode. wouldnt it have been great if we could have had it all in one mode!

"All in one mode" -- Atma-Sphere Triode OTL amplifiers. They are able to do it all in a single package when coupled with compatible speakers.
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Rushton makes a good point. If you can put together a speaker/Atma-Sphere amplification combo, then it would likely fill the bill.

I finally got around to converting my Cav-50 to Triode..have always been a Triode preferer, this seems to make sense, and with my newly dialed in Altec Valencias this is a good combo...I would have to guess efficient spkrs a must...as for the sound; I find it Bloomier and more Rounded, less harsh and metalic...still missing something though, either mode you have to tweak the rest of the gear,Tridode is also broader, more expansive soundstage- tried NOS tubes, didn't seem to work in this rig,...