Tubes? Transistors? Which are better?

Another issue which is underplayed is maintenance. Tube amps require a lot more know-how. For example, I only recently found out (the hard way), that you need to always have speakers hooked up to your tube amp. It is a hobby, albeit one with an excellent return (great sound).

It's a matter of personal taste but that even order distortion makes me smile every time.

Tubes have so much more soul, right

After 3 weeks of listening to a SF Power 2 (tubes), I switched back to McCormack DNA-2DX (SS), and the improvement in rhythmic drive and bass was dramatic, and also the 2DX does low volume and low level detail much better. I sold the Power 2 and bought another DNA-2DX to make a pair of mono-blocs with them:>). Cheers. Craig.

Interesting findings by Craig! I recently replaced my Linn Majik (ss), with Sonic Frontiers Control-1 (not an integrated, but amplifier with tone and balance control, just like CJ CAV-50)and i found SFC-1 to be more, much more detailed and more musical than Majik. I was realy surprised to find four EL34's(Svetlana's) to sound so open, and without any faults associated with tubes!