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Tubes vs Solid State

I have have been listening to music all my life but have only recently started experimenting with different amplifier and/or speakers/component combinations. I have recently moved from Parasound JC 1's to Classe Cam 400 monoblocks which I have both loved (maybe the prior a bit more) and are contemplating another move. I have been very intrigued by tube monoblocks and have the opportunity now to move to ARC ref 600's. I can also get Mark Levinson 33's for about the same cost. I am just uncertain about the Ref 600's as I am worried that I might be disappointed in the tube sound.

Can someone with more experience perhaps help me out here ? I am using the amps as part of a home-theatre setup driving 802 d's and other 800 diamond fronts and rears. I would really appreciate some good advice here.
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donjr
1,311 posts
 
I can't say one is better than the other. I've used tube for about 5 years and I've loved it, although I miss ss like crazy. That's where I started in the 70's and it carried me all the way until around 2007 when I got my first tubes. When matched properly both are fantastic. I'm missing the ss ease of mind.having both is ideal.
wolf_garcia
4,650 posts
 
Tube amps are more fun, and more fun is better. There, it's settled.
luna
227 posts
 
With my years of experience in this hobby, I have the idea that the best solution comes as either small tube powered amp matching very high efficiency speakers or highly powered SS or class D amps matching modern low efficiency speakers. The trend is class D and low efficiency speakers. High powered tube amp is fast becoming thing of the past as SS amps are sounding very close to tubes.
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
I still find the Berning zotl amps have the speed, drive, dynamic capability and bass control of the BEST SS amps with the dimension, texture, low level resolution and presence of the best tube amps providing they are ideally matched to the speaker. Really tough to beat that combination of virtues in a tube design. Another big plus is the efficiency of the tubes operating at lower filiment current for longer tube life and less heat in the room. I also agree that there is less place in this hobby for high powered tube amps unless they can somehow find a way to design them to be more efficient.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
Zombie thread come back to eat your brains!

You don't have to know anything about the technology of tubes and transistors, or even the sound of them to know that something special is up with tubes. Tubes were declared obsolete about 55 years ago- they have now been around as obsolete technology for longer than they were the only game in town! If they really were obsolete there would be no market forces to cause new tube production facilities to be created but that has happened in the last 15 years or so.

The simple fact of the matter is that the market says there is a good reason for them to be here, decades after they should have been gone forever. We would not have these conversations otherwise!
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