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What do you see as the downside of tubes?

I have decided on getting a tube amp and it will be the integrated Mastersound 300B driving a pair of Living Voice Avatars, so at least that decision has been taken.

My main question is what you see as downsides of having a tube amp. As I've decided on getting an integrated tube it's really about what the downsides are I might want to know about beforehand.

The ones I'm aware are the following.

-The tubes need to be replaced and in the case of a 300B this will be somewhat costly.

-Bias is another issue but I'm not sure how big an issue. Do you plug in your meter every so often or just when you roll tubes or replace a dead one? The meter as such isn't gonna be a big issue as I don't think it's that expensive.

-Heat won't be a big issue as we have no kids nor a nosy dog that could get burned. Hope my electricity bill isn't gonna go through the roof, but then again, I can't quite imagine that.

I'd appreciate if you could add whatever your experiences are regarding this question are as I'd like to know more before I buy it.

Thanks
krauti
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Jafox,

I totally believe you.

I am saying to all you never hear the H2O. My sound was crap at first. I learned I was hearing my preamp, wires, and speakers. I am not Bsing. I have found, through trial and error, what works, and what doesn't. The H2O builder was so disenchanted with preamps, he made his own. It is the perfect match. No more preamp worries. Next came the cables. Naked ribbon is the clear winner. Thirdly, the source is of critical importance. I have been working with the H2O builder to make a killer Audio Note DAC. The result is nothing like what stock AN DACs sound like.

Hell, it doesn't matter. Enjoy your music. I am.
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Jafox, the advantage you hear with Aria may owe more to TX2575 resistors than to tube vs. SS paradigm. Lately to get a better grip on the tube vs. SS debate I've been all out modifying a SS ARC PH-2 in parallel with an Atma-Sphere MP-1 phono section. The usual assumptions about SS being flat, sterile, and lacking tonality relative to tubes does not apply once one replaces the red rectangular Wima MKP caps often used in ARC and many other SS gears. TX2575 resistors as used in Aria are peerless and found in no other commercial gears AFAIK. This story is unfinished until I've put 20-30 of them in SS ARC, but so far these highly modified tube & SS phono sections are pretty close.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
I have recordings of concerts, both jazz and classical that I have attended. Both were unamplified. I have a piano, baritone, cello and flute in my house (my daughters have the talent). I don't need to convince myself or anyone else that what I'm hearing is more realistic. Audiofeil is obviously deeply disturbed going by the intensity of his anti-social rants. That said, I did not knock tubes or applaud SS...I've owned and enjoyed both. Right now I have a system synergy which does it for me on a repeat basis which happens to be SS. The special nature of the real thing is that it is clear, pure, accurate, extended and dynamic with no blurring, distortion or grain. Tonality of course must be dead on. The xtra something is that sense of energy that fills the venue when attending a concert, which many systems miss completely. Let's not forget that the material we listen to can effect our expectations as well.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I did not knock tubes or applaud SS...
Dave_b (Threads | Answers)

On 7/23/09 you wrote:
Anything that dulls, rounds off or clouds the soundstage is unacceptable! Most tube based components get in the way, despite whatever plus they may offer.
Dave_b (Threads | Answers)

To me, this statement of 7/23/09 knocked tubes (and illustrated a lack of experience with a variety of tube components). There are many tube components that do not dull, round off, or cloud the soundstage. In fact, in my ownership of tube gear (VAC, Atma-Sphere, Lamm, ARC, Modwright, Moscode, Supratek, Leben), only the Supratek possessed some qualities you describe. So, I can not agree that most tube components get in the way.
rodman99999
3,557 posts
 
Tvad- Further; making that statement would seem to imply that the individual had listened to, "most tube based components" that have been manufactured. A premise that I highly doubt!
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