Manual vs. Auto Bias

I have had a cj tube amp required biasing using the lights mounted on the amp and now cary using a meter, both are easy. Although I guess I prefer to use a meter so I know exactly where the bias is set. Both amps required biasing and were not automatic but not a big deal to adjust it infrequently.

Chuck

There are many ways to slice the baby and great amps can be made with both cathode bias and fixed bias.

It does seem that most PP amps are fixed bias, at least until you get into the lower power tubes such as EL84/6BQ5 and then you see cathode bias designs. It seems that most SE amps are cathode bias as well.

I currently own amps that have both setups and really have no preference at all. I'm much more concerned with things like the quality of the coupling caps and the composition of the various resistors in the circuit, but to each his own.

I don't have any preference. I go by what has the sound I want.

I like a manual bias as it allows for fine adjustments to squeeze the last drop of performance from the tube and circuit.

I have auto bias. It sounds good and I barely know what bias is. I pay to hear the band, not to make the music.