When to go solid state vs. vacuum?

This was posted by Atmasphere on 4/19/12 :

"Matching amps and speakers is important!

Take a look at this link:
http://www.atma-sphere.com/Resources/Paradigms_in_Amplifier_Design.php

The B&W 802 is designed to work on an amplifier that can double its power when the load is cut in half. Specifically, it has an 8 ohm midrange and tweeter, but the woofers are in parallel and so are 4 ohms. Not only that, but the woofers are 3 db less efficient than the mid and tweeter. To correct this, its expected that the amplifier will double its power into the lower impedance.

No tube amp can do this and so on this speaker, tube amps will have less punch in the bass. Now if you had a speaker that did not expect that of the amplifier, then you could get more punch out of a tube amp than a transistor amp...

Its all in the match. Of course its my opinion that tubes offer more music much easier than transistors do (I know of one transistor amp that is really musical but it retails for over $100,000...).

Another issue with 4 ohms is that the speaker cable is more critical and also that any amplifier driving 4 ohms (tube or transistor) will not sound as good as it does driving higher impedances. So if you are seeking musicality, you may want to consider replacing the speaker as well."

It depends on the speakers. Some speakers sound better with tubes and other speakers sound better with solid state. Choose your speakers according to the type of amplification you intend on using. To me tubes are for music. Who wants to burn up expensive tubes watching a movie?

Butler amps would seem to give you the best of both worlds: Tube sweetness mated to MOSFET output. And the Butler amps NEVER need biasing and they will last 25 years or more - truly set-and-forget. Check 'em out:

www.butleraudio.com

-RW-

I have nothing against tubes , I still use tubes in my second system. My main system has slowly gone all solid state, didn't plan it that way but when I auditioned each component for upgrade S.S. just sounded best, and less hassle, no tube changes, less tinkering, more music.

There are some very good suggestions here and you already seem to understand the speaker first part of the equation.

Combining two channel and HT compromises both or at best one over the other. When I tried it I lost a good portion of the delicate two channel sound stage of the two channel and the speaker balance and location needed for optimum 5 or 7.1 HT. Its at this point were you must be honest with yourself on what your priorities are.

IMO you don't have to go high end on an HT system. A modest but modern solid state receiver with up to date codecs and decent room correction, economical matching speakers, and a good subwoofer, can be surprisingly satisfying. The same can be said for a two channel system were the setup has room for the speakers to do their best at sound staging.

On your amplification choice, if you like the relaxed presentation that only tube second order amplification can provide then jump in with both feet. There are many choices and levels of quality of integrated and separates that are easy to maintain.

You like the sound of tubes and good bass? I know I do and it ain't rocket science. There are many small subwoofers that can integrate seamlessly and reinforce the very bottom octave better than any solid state amplified system working alone.