Schubert does make a point in that high power tube amps do use MORE tubes. Unless you are prepared to go with different speakers, as in very high efficency, low power amps use a much lesser amount of tubes. Then of course, some of those tubes can be a bit more expensive, tho they DO last a long time..... Schubert, now why did you have to go and open up this can of worms!!! |
Winggo, much more important than your speakerss sensitivity is its impedance. If you have low efficiency speakers with a benign impedance, you can solve any power issue by adding more tube power. If your speakers have either too low or too demanding of an impedance curve, then tubes are not recommendable, regardless of power. http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/bas/0808/ |
I personally do not like the sound of most high-powered pentode and tetrode tube amps. Many sound much more brittle and dry than good solid state amps. Notable exceptions to me are some OTL amps. Most solid state amps these days do not sound grainy, brittle or thin to me--common descriptions given to tube sound in the past. Where they are often lacking is in dynamics at lower volume--compared to a good low-powered triode tube amp they sound lifeless and lacking in immediacy. There can also be a "mechanical" quality to the sound that comes from a slight artificial edge to the attack on all notes and a lack of the subtle variation in attack and decay of notes that one hears with better tube gear. With suitably efficient speakers, I prefer low-powered tube gear. For speakers needing more power, I like OTL tube amps, followed by solid state and then followed by high-powered tube gear. |
Agree with Phaelon, the speaker's load characteristics(impedance curve-fluctuations and phase angles) will determine if tube or transistor amplifier is the best option. Along with Isochronism and Larryi I much prefer the lower power amp with high efficiency speakers route for the same reasons they cited. Regards, |
