Post by 405x5 on Nov 29, 2014 10:42:47 GMT -5
Just a follow up with an apology to this particular thread. I don't want to be one of those folks who just makes a "quip" to get anyone steamed up without a reason.
So, just a bit on my tube experience........
At age 59 now, I grew up with tubes like other audio enthusiasts of my generation. I loved my tube amps. and preamps because there was nothing else to love, back in the day when solid state of quality was yet to be realized. Played with my Dads stuff as a youngster and finally, had my own Stromberg Carlson separate tube amp. along with a Fisher stereo tube separate preamp to run a magnetic cartridge. Hearing the difference between a ceramic vs. magnetic cartridge was my introduction into High Fidelity. That was between 1967 and 1968 roughly and I've had the bug ALL the way up to now with my Emotiva XMC-1. I left tubes behind around 1971 with the purchase of a 60 watt per channel AR integrated amplifier.
My last experience with tubes does relate to this thread. I took home some years ago, a CD player with a tube analog section on consignment "credit card", so I could have a full 24 hours to judge the merits of a tube analog section for myself. I tried everything I could including some different interconnects. No difference whatsoever between that and my enexpensive Magnavox at the time. The player retailed for around 1500.00 back in the 80's when this all happened.
Once a year at least,(back to my old stuff) I pulled all the tubes and packed them up to the hardware store and plugged into that huge TUBE TESTER, and replaced any tubes that didn't make it well into the "good" range!
The gradual drop off in efficiency of the tubes was always something that I was not crazy about. When a tube went bad, I would get the "fuzzy" sound that gradually went away as the things got hot and there standard of operation was met.
If one looks into the history of Bob Carver and the development of his tube gear, you will find that long ago, he determined exactly what occurs that is different between tube vs. solid state amplification and builds the "coloration" into the tube design to give tube fans the "warm" sound that is what fans of tubes indeed like to hear.
Bill Mina
So, just a bit on my tube experience........
At age 59 now, I grew up with tubes like other audio enthusiasts of my generation. I loved my tube amps. and preamps because there was nothing else to love, back in the day when solid state of quality was yet to be realized. Played with my Dads stuff as a youngster and finally, had my own Stromberg Carlson separate tube amp. along with a Fisher stereo tube separate preamp to run a magnetic cartridge. Hearing the difference between a ceramic vs. magnetic cartridge was my introduction into High Fidelity. That was between 1967 and 1968 roughly and I've had the bug ALL the way up to now with my Emotiva XMC-1. I left tubes behind around 1971 with the purchase of a 60 watt per channel AR integrated amplifier.
My last experience with tubes does relate to this thread. I took home some years ago, a CD player with a tube analog section on consignment "credit card", so I could have a full 24 hours to judge the merits of a tube analog section for myself. I tried everything I could including some different interconnects. No difference whatsoever between that and my enexpensive Magnavox at the time. The player retailed for around 1500.00 back in the 80's when this all happened.
Once a year at least,(back to my old stuff) I pulled all the tubes and packed them up to the hardware store and plugged into that huge TUBE TESTER, and replaced any tubes that didn't make it well into the "good" range!
The gradual drop off in efficiency of the tubes was always something that I was not crazy about. When a tube went bad, I would get the "fuzzy" sound that gradually went away as the things got hot and there standard of operation was met.
If one looks into the history of Bob Carver and the development of his tube gear, you will find that long ago, he determined exactly what occurs that is different between tube vs. solid state amplification and builds the "coloration" into the tube design to give tube fans the "warm" sound that is what fans of tubes indeed like to hear.
Bill Mina
