Lyra Atlas experiences

Dear @o_holter : "  I am willing to sacrifice a few db in the noise floor to get superior tube performance. "

with all respect that is a plain misunderstood. Exist no superior tube performance but additioal distortions, that's what you have it does not matters tht that's what you like because that's not the main subject.

It's not only about higher noise, look: the input cartridge signal travel inside your unit or a SS unit. In your unit exist at least 5-6 circuit stages where the signal must pass and at each circuit stage that signal is degraded ( we can't do nothing about, no one can stop the signal degradation. ) in a well designed SS Phonolinepreamp ou can do the same in no more than 3 stages ( all depend in the designer abilities. ), so te signal degradation is a lot lower and that's why I said that what you like is only those additional distortions ( not only higher noise levels. ).

Tubes are not for an active high gain phono stage ( as a fact is not for today demanding audio. ), no one can defend what has no defense. Forgeret what the " experts " said and say, I live for years with tubes till I fall in count that all what those " tube experts " try to sale or to educate  was totally untrue.

What road takes a phono stage designer, in reality two roads: hybrid designs or SUT as a pasive gain. In the first alternative the rough/hardest phono stage cartridge signal path is made it by the first SS stage in that hybrid design: with out this gain stage there is no phono stage at all and the same is true in those designs  that use SUTs as the high gain stage. Is that high gain stage what puts the unit signature that tubes degraded in higher levels than same SS circuits.

For years the " tube experts/reviewers " try to sale us their arcaic " ideas " with out take not that the audio world already change it for the better and not because tubes but even with tubes there are great and better SS alternatives. As a music lovers and audiophiles we have to grow up and enjoy our today times that are bettter than ever before. Tubes is not the answer is the today wrong answer.

No one has to feeel " bad " for those facts because that's the reality.

There are several examples around and subwoofers is a good one. You have to ask your self: why does not exist powered subwoofers using an external tube amps?, because it can't handle with the rigthness and aplomb only SS can and that's all and this means: tight low bass, with full feeled power and no overhang, taut bass, precise and well defined note by note, efortless feeling, uncolored sound, etc.

Anyway, I'm not against tubes ( as I said I live with and heard in my system several touted tube designs as the Audio Note  Kondo and the like. ), things are that I learned.

I'm not trying to diminish any tube audiophile system, no this is not my attitude.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Btw, I never was an Audio Note owner. I had in my system for almost a month the Ongaku ( over 100K. ) because the M´+exico distributor of this and other audio items was a close friend of mine as were other audio México dealers whom marketed: AR, C-J, Manley, Air Tigth and other very well regarded tube electronics.

I can say for sure that I know very well tube electronics " restrictions/limitations " that can't honor what MUSIC deserves.

To understand what MUSIC deserves we have to take in count two things:

how and which kind of sounds we have in a live music performance. Example in a concert music hall exist no adjectives used and touted by tube lovers as: softness, non agresive, non annoying, full soundstage and the like.
You can have that kind of quality sound if you are seated at 50 m. from the stage source, but this is not MUSIC. When we are seated at a few m. the MUSIC has a natural agresiveness, power, definition, precision and rigthness. Sometimes stridency.
Any piano player knows this and try to listen a trumpet player at normal levels seated at say 2-3 m. and you will undrstand what I mean.

the other thing is that what we have in the LP recordings was captured/pick-up for microphones even nearer to the source as we can't do it in a hall, sometimes very near field as in almost all the Three Blind Mice Recordings.

Only top well designed SS electronics can gives us the " reality " tubes only can gives you what you are accustom to that has nothing to do with that live MUSIC characteristics.

R.

Raul.....I am using s/s Ayre components.....These seem to work with any cartridge I've had on my table....Benz LPS, Ortofon Windfield, Lyra Atlas and Etna, etc.  Today I listened to a digital LP of the Bernstein Mahler 2nd.....the depth, air, and ease was simply outstanding.

Raul, my experience is different. I went from solid state to tubes, and have not looked back. It wasn't experts who told me this, it was my ears.

Dear @o_holter : What we/you like has nothing to do on what is wrong or right.

With all respect, please try not only to read what I stated in my last two-three posts but understand word by word what is posted there.

I'm talking not what I like or you like but what is the MUSIC live sound ( how it sounds at " nearfield " distance ( not at over 30-40 m. ) and how microphones pick up the MUSIC information in a recording session ( that sometimes are placed at  1.5 m. ).

Now if you think that tubes sounds the same as that then good for you but I can tell you that tubes can't honor those MUSIC circunstances/scenarios where the SS are closer to it.

Any instrument music player knows very well what I'm refereing on how live MUSIC sounds.

The main subject is not to convince you or who is right or wrong but how things are. Again what you or me like it is not important but what is the MUSIC and how we percieve it in a live event at nerafield position.

In the other side, please let me know what sound characteristics are the ones that you love in your audio system listening sessions. Can you?, thank's in advance.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.