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Anyone else evolve beyond tubes?

Over many years of owning both solid state and tube amps/pre-amps, my most recent high end system makes me question the need for tubes at all, except at the source! My Mcintosh C46 pre and MC501's driven by an MF A5 CD player into Dyn" C4's with MIT Magnum cabling produces music of great beauty and dynamic swing. I even demo'd some of the newer tube gear available for comparison...not even close. I think modern, well designed solid state gear is superior overall...at least with a tube output stage in your source!
dave_b
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Right now I have tube amps and a tube dac. I am looking forward to two ss amps, but I have been into even all ss before only to return to all tube equipment. I guess when you have been at this as long as I have you expect returning to tubes over and over. This is why I have nearly two hundred NOS tubes in my stash.
snook2's avatar
snook2
608 posts
 
Most tube amp manufacturers agree that there has been lots of bad tubes. One of the tube sellers told me that he has tested over a 50% failure rate on one of his brands and not much better on some others.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
09-06-06: Snook2
Most tube amp manufacturers agree that there has been lots of bad tubes.
Some hyperbole in this statement, IMO. I owned a VAC amp and never had any problems with bad tubes. In fact, I retubed with VAC tubes, and they worked flawlessly.

I presently own a Moscode that uses new production tubes, and they have worked perfectly.

Yes, bad tubes happen, but my experience does not support the supposition that there are lots of bad tubes. IMO, if one buys from a good source, then the risk is reduced. For example, I suspect buying re-labeled Shuguang KT88 tubes from Penta Labs may be more dependable than buying the same tubes directly from a Chinese supplier. While I don't have any evidence to back this up, I tend to believe Penta likely cherry picks their tubes, and if a bad tube does surface, then returning it to Penta Labs for exchange is definitely going to be easier than returning a bad tube to China.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
for nearly 45 years, i've listened to tube gear (i grew up with tubes in my parents system). as an adult, i've had mac, bat, woodside, beard, cj, cary, arc, amc, vtl, manley, melos and more through my systems over the years, including several 'sets'. i've concluded that a good amp can be ss or tubes, as long as it services the loudspeaker. Amps are like restaurants in new orleans.....3000 makers, 3 recipes.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
I frankly have trouble believing Snook2's claim of a 50% failure rate. I've owned and listened to tubed gear for over 45 years. During that time many many tubes have worn out. We expect that. However, I can count the tubes that have failed prematurely on one hand. Perhaps I've been lucky or don't fit the statistical model but there might be a little embellishment in Snook's figures IMO.
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