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Tubes Do It -- Transistors Don't.

I never thought transistor amps could hold a candle to tube amps. They just never seem to get the "wholeness of the sound of an instrument" quite right. SS doesn't allow an instrument (brass, especially) to "bloom" out in the air, forming a real body of an instrument. Rather, it sounds like a facsimile; a somewhat truncated, stripped version of the real thing. Kind of like taking 3D down to 2-1/2D.

I also hear differences in the actual space the instruments are playing in. With tubes, the space appears continuous, with each instrument occupying a believable part in that space. With SS, the space seems segmented, darker, and less continuous, with instruments somewhat disconnected from each other, almost as if they were panned in with a mixer. I won't claim this to be an accurate description, but I find it hard to describe these phenomena.

There is also the issue of interest -- SS doesn't excite me or maintain my interest. It sounds boring. Something is missing.

Yet, a tube friend of mine recently heard a Pass X-350 amp and thought it sounded great, and better in many ways than his Mac MC-2000 on his Nautilus 800 Signatures. I was shocked to hear this from him. I wasn't present for this comparison, and the Pass is now back at the dealer.

Tubes vs. SS is an endless debate, as has been seen in these forums. I haven't had any of the top solid state choices in my system, so I can't say how they fare compared to tubes. The best SS amp I had was a McCormack DNA-1 Rev. A, but it still didn't sound like my tube amps, VT-100 Mk II & Cary V-12.

Have any of you have tried SS amps that provided these qualities I describe in tubes? Or, did you also find that you couldn't get these qualities from a SS amp?
kevziek
wellfed's avatar
wellfed
690 posts
 
I concur with Fatparrot on the Atma-Sphere assessment. I have heard the Plinius 102's in Jadem6's system and am impressed with the sound he is getting from these amps.

Karls, If I remember correctly, Atma-Sphere states that their amps consume only 10% more power than a similarly spec'ed Class A SS amp. Also, the Atma-Sphere amps do not have to be retubed very often and use low priced tubes to boot.
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
Karls-I haven't tried the zh270 into a load that dips low or in your case ruler flat at 3.5 ohms but have read and heard many conflicting comments on its performance at the frequency extremes into such loads that I don't know what to think. How about you Twl? Nah you're definitely the wrong guy to ask :)

I sure am curious myself and anyone in the Central Florida area that has such speakers I will gladly bring over this amp to find out first hand. Everyone I know has medium to high efficiency speakers and the amp sounds great on all of them. The high frequency impedance converter adjusts for impedance dips unlike traditional OTL amps which just run out of current unless there are enough output tubes to provide enough. Transformer coupled amps also do the brute force gig which is why they don't fare well into such loads, especially in the bass and why ss is a better choice for across the board performance.

Regardless, my guess is that the tonal balance especially at the frequency extremes may be affected with certain loads. With my speakers the amp is well balanced and extended across the frequency spectrum. The high frequency performance is also right up there with an absolute crystaline clarity with air and space to match. I really can't hear any problems anywhere but I'm still looking. You know something is on the ball when you start critically listening and find yourself just enjoying in spite of yourself, it happens all the time :)
twl
3,251 posts
 
Tubegroover, see my last post above for my experiences at lower impedances with the Berning.
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
Sorry Twl, I wrote my response prior to yours showing up and besides it was more tongue in cheek knowing your preference for high efficiency speakers. Your findings are what I suspect and seem consistent.
joe_b
421 posts
 
While I generally agree with what you say about tubes and I have been a happy tube user for many years I would like to point out the following.
There are no absolutes in audio as personal preferences and equipment interface issues rule.
I have found instances, with some (few?) speakers and some (few?) front ends and the right cables, where solid state can deliver satisfaction. It doesn't always happen this way but...and that is maybe what your friend encountered.
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