Dear Hagtech: First my apology to Csmithbarc for this post but IMHO it is extremely important to speak about:
+++++ " The big advantage tubes have over solid state is that they are *far* more linear. " +++++
Yes, I agree with that in normal designs: in our design we develop a totally new mathematics theorem to make the transistor full linear, so that advantage dissapear.
+++++ " They also overload in a much more sonically benign fashion, tending towards compression rather than clipping. " +++++
I agree too in normal designs and in the past SS ones ( even on those times M.Levinson and Mcinthos introduce in their electronics designs a " soft clipping " stage. ). Today almost all SS designs take care about designing with very high overload levels so the clipping subject it is not an issue.
+++++ " Most solid state amplification employs feedback ... " +++++
No, more and more SS designs come with NON feedback design, as a fact the non-feedback design is the SS rule today.
+++++ " But as Atmasphere points out, the micro details and very small signal information is better recovered via tubes. This is not just opinion, but a technical limitation of topology. The exception would be an open-loop class A gain stage " +++++
It is untrue that there is a technical limitation topology, it is not: what could exist is a not so good design but there are a lot of right SS designs out there.
As a fact you state that there is an exeption: " The exception would be an open-loop class A gain stage ... " well this is one of the exeptions.
As you can see there is no single advantage from the tubes against SS, what exist is different designs ( good and bad ) in both technology sides.
You already know all the tube technology limitations, like you say almost all work with coupling caps or coupled transformers, the tubes are harmonic generators and the problem is that that harmonics does not exist in the original signal, the impedance problems are bigger too when a tube amp try to handle the " electrical speaker impedance ": almost all the tube electronics are high output impedance that when is connected to cables, audio devices or speakers change the frequency response: I can go on speaking about the tube limitations but this is not the subject. I believe that exist very good designs ( within its own technology limitations ) on both sides and we the customers have the choice.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
+++++ " The big advantage tubes have over solid state is that they are *far* more linear. " +++++
Yes, I agree with that in normal designs: in our design we develop a totally new mathematics theorem to make the transistor full linear, so that advantage dissapear.
+++++ " They also overload in a much more sonically benign fashion, tending towards compression rather than clipping. " +++++
I agree too in normal designs and in the past SS ones ( even on those times M.Levinson and Mcinthos introduce in their electronics designs a " soft clipping " stage. ). Today almost all SS designs take care about designing with very high overload levels so the clipping subject it is not an issue.
+++++ " Most solid state amplification employs feedback ... " +++++
No, more and more SS designs come with NON feedback design, as a fact the non-feedback design is the SS rule today.
+++++ " But as Atmasphere points out, the micro details and very small signal information is better recovered via tubes. This is not just opinion, but a technical limitation of topology. The exception would be an open-loop class A gain stage " +++++
It is untrue that there is a technical limitation topology, it is not: what could exist is a not so good design but there are a lot of right SS designs out there.
As a fact you state that there is an exeption: " The exception would be an open-loop class A gain stage ... " well this is one of the exeptions.
As you can see there is no single advantage from the tubes against SS, what exist is different designs ( good and bad ) in both technology sides.
You already know all the tube technology limitations, like you say almost all work with coupling caps or coupled transformers, the tubes are harmonic generators and the problem is that that harmonics does not exist in the original signal, the impedance problems are bigger too when a tube amp try to handle the " electrical speaker impedance ": almost all the tube electronics are high output impedance that when is connected to cables, audio devices or speakers change the frequency response: I can go on speaking about the tube limitations but this is not the subject. I believe that exist very good designs ( within its own technology limitations ) on both sides and we the customers have the choice.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.