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New vacuum tubes!

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AWESOME!

I bet you're much happier now. I've been meaning to build my own tube pre-amp for a while now.

:thumbsup:

-edit- you need to post what tubes you got though and a thorough review.
 
Originally posted by: Eli
I so want to get into tubes again. I've just been too busy with work and sh!t. 🙁

I want to learn how to build my own guitar amp. I have some specimens to study, I just haven't had any time.
Click to expand...

So do I. If you find any resources start a thread an PM me! A co-worker of my fathers built a vintage styled telecaster from scratch and also a guitar amp, complete with the vinyl-type (I can't remember the name right now, lol) covering and all.
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

I've got a lot of experience with this.. they def. make a huge difference. Think about what digital does to an analog signal..

It makes all the peaks of a sine wave into a 1 and all the valleys of it into a 0. It's a digital approx of the signal... you lose the entire section of the wave between the two points.

Tubes produce much smoother harmonic distortion.. it's so unbelievably easy to tell the difference between a silicon diode and a tube....
Click to expand...

That's not at all how digital audio works.

Yes, analog audio could potentially sound better, but I'd love to see some blind tests prove that people can tell the difference.
Click to expand...

The difference is like night and day. If you can't tell the difference you either have very bad source material, or a very good digital amp. Subtleties like singer's inhaling are much more definable and fluid sounding on a tube amp. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

I've got a lot of experience with this.. they def. make a huge difference. Think about what digital does to an analog signal..

It makes all the peaks of a sine wave into a 1 and all the valleys of it into a 0. It's a digital approx of the signal... you lose the entire section of the wave between the two points.

Tubes produce much smoother harmonic distortion.. it's so unbelievably easy to tell the difference between a silicon diode and a tube....
Click to expand...

First of all, a diode doesn't amplify. Do you mean silicon transistor? Secondly, transistors are linear devices, just like tubes. So I'm confused as to what you're trying to convey here.
 
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

I've got a lot of experience with this.. they def. make a huge difference. Think about what digital does to an analog signal..

It makes all the peaks of a sine wave into a 1 and all the valleys of it into a 0. It's a digital approx of the signal... you lose the entire section of the wave between the two points.

Tubes produce much smoother harmonic distortion.. it's so unbelievably easy to tell the difference between a silicon diode and a tube....
Click to expand...

First of all, a diode doesn't amplify. Do you mean silicon transistor? Secondly, transistors are linear devices, just like tubes. So I'm confused as to what you're trying to convey here.
Click to expand...
....

He's saying that a rectifier tube sounds better than a diode rectifier.
 
Originally posted by: beer
So much ignorance in this thread.
Tubes sound better because they are linear devices, MOSFETs are nonlinaer and over a certain range do distort.

That is why. /thread
Click to expand...

Not true. Transistor amplifiers are perfectly linear, whether MOSFET or bjts. I've designed both tube and transistor power amplifiers in the several hundred watt range.

The difference is how they CLIP. Transistors clip very sharply, very perfectly, which leads to a lot of harmonics aka Fourier transform, sounding harsh. Tubes are not like this, they clip slowly, more rounded. I've done several studies on this, and I have the spectrum analysis to back it up. If you want linear, then transistors can't be beat. Tubes sound warmer because they gently clip. That's why most guitar players prefer tube amplifiers.
 
Originally posted by: remagavon
The difference is like night and day. If you can't tell the difference you either have very bad source material, or a very good digital amp. Subtleties like singer's inhaling are much more definable and fluid sounding on a tube amp. 🙂
Click to expand...

word. vocals are tough to reproduce well. as are violins.
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

I've got a lot of experience with this.. they def. make a huge difference. Think about what digital does to an analog signal..

It makes all the peaks of a sine wave into a 1 and all the valleys of it into a 0. It's a digital approx of the signal... you lose the entire section of the wave between the two points.

Tubes produce much smoother harmonic distortion.. it's so unbelievably easy to tell the difference between a silicon diode and a tube....
Click to expand...

That's not at all how digital audio works.

Yes, analog audio could potentially sound better, but I'd love to see some blind tests prove that people can tell the difference.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, it's easy to hear the difference.

There's much much more distortion and coloration with tubes. It's easy to hear. Some people find this pleasant, others prefer more linear digital devices.
 
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: beer
So much ignorance in this thread.
Tubes sound better because they are linear devices, MOSFETs are nonlinaer and over a certain range do distort.

That is why. /thread
Click to expand...

Not true. Transistor amplifiers are perfectly linear, whether MOSFET or bjts. I've designed both tube and transistor power amplifiers in the several hundred watt range.

The difference is how they CLIP. Transistors clip very sharply, very perfectly, which leads to a lot of harmonics aka Fourier transform, sounding harsh. Tubes are not like this, they clip slowly, more rounded. I've done several studies on this, and I have the spectrum analysis to back it up. If you want linear, then transistors can't be beat. Tubes sound warmer because they gently clip. That's why most guitar players prefer tube amplifiers.
Click to expand...
...Which is exacty why he has a tube guitar amplifier.
 
One reason tube amps sound better is because they add 2nd-order distortion.

They also have a low damping factor, but that doesn't make the sound better when using certain kinds of speakers. With the right kind, though, low damping factor > high damping factor.
 
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: beer
So much ignorance in this thread.
Tubes sound better because they are linear devices, MOSFETs are nonlinaer and over a certain range do distort.

That is why. /thread
Click to expand...

Not true. Transistor amplifiers are perfectly linear, whether MOSFET or bjts. I've designed both tube and transistor power amplifiers in the several hundred watt range.

The difference is how they CLIP. Transistors clip very sharply, very perfectly, which leads to a lot of harmonics aka Fourier transform, sounding harsh. Tubes are not like this, they clip slowly, more rounded. I've done several studies on this, and I have the spectrum analysis to back it up. If you want linear, then transistors can't be beat. Tubes sound warmer because they gently clip. That's why most guitar players prefer tube amplifiers.
Click to expand...
...Which is exacty why he has a tube guitar amplifier.
Click to expand...


didn't you buy an old tube amp off ebay some time back? or was it solid state?
 
Originally posted by: Howard
One reason tube amps sound better is because they add 2nd-order distortion.

They also have a low damping factor, but that doesn't make the sound better when using certain kinds of speakers. With the right kind, though, low damping factor > high damping factor.
Click to expand...

yep.

And many have had great results with a tube amp on the highs and solid state for the "oomph" needed for a woofer. ultimately that's what I want to do.
 
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

It makes all the peaks of a sine wave into a 1 and all the valleys of it into a 0. It's a digital approx of the signal... you lose the entire section of the wave between the two points.
Click to expand...

Uhm...
 
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
People THINK they give better sound quality.
Click to expand...

IDIOTS don't know any better.

Tubes can make the world of difference in an Amp. You'd be amazed at the tone you can get from different tubes.

Russian Tubes FTW!!! 😀
 
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Originally posted by: beer
So much ignorance in this thread.
Tubes sound better because they are linear devices, MOSFETs are nonlinaer and over a certain range do distort.

That is why. /thread
Click to expand...

Not true. Transistor amplifiers are perfectly linear, whether MOSFET or bjts. I've designed both tube and transistor power amplifiers in the several hundred watt range.

The difference is how they CLIP. Transistors clip very sharply, very perfectly, which leads to a lot of harmonics aka Fourier transform, sounding harsh. Tubes are not like this, they clip slowly, more rounded. I've done several studies on this, and I have the spectrum analysis to back it up. If you want linear, then transistors can't be beat. Tubes sound warmer because they gently clip. That's why most guitar players prefer tube amplifiers.
Click to expand...
...Which is exacty why he has a tube guitar amplifier.
Click to expand...


didn't you buy an old tube amp off ebay some time back? or was it solid state?
Click to expand...
I've bought a couple of tube amps off eBay that I wanted to study and fiddle around with.. Haven't been into it lately though.

If you're talking about my stereo, it's solid state. Dynaco SCA-80Q

Although I'd love a Dynaco Stereo 70., they are spendy. I will get one once I learn more about tube amps though.
 
I have heard electronically produced music (synthesizers) played on both digital (transistor) and tube amplifiers and was hard pressed to hear the difference, but when listening to guitar, or symphonic sources, on each type of amp, the difference to me is night and day. I much prefer the tube "sound" over it's silicon bretheren.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Apex
Originally posted by: Eli
Although I'd love a Dynaco Stereo 70., they are spendy. I will get one once I learn more about tube amps though.
Click to expand...

Spendy did you say?

Imagine bi-amping a 7 channel system with that. LOL.

Lemme see... almost $2.5 million? Only for the really really dedicated tube HT lover. 😀
Click to expand...

meh, for home theater I'll take solid state.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's really not worth it for multimedia. Music is where it's at, though I would like to hear a well recorded 5.1 orchestra with a tube setup just for kicks.

The nonbelievers in this thread should go to a high end dealer around them and have them give a demonstration. I go into a local place every so often just for kicks because I enjoy their setups, and there's no way that anything like what they sell will be within my budget for years. Just don't get spoiled🙂
 
Originally posted by: remagavon
Yeah it's really not worth it for multimedia. Music is where it's at, though I would like to hear a well recorded 5.1 orchestra with a tube setup just for kicks.

The nonbelievers in this thread should go to a high end dealer around them and have them give a demonstration. I go into a local place every so often just for kicks because I enjoy their setups, and there's no way that anything like what they sell will be within my budget for years. Just don't get spoiled🙂
Click to expand...

Any non-believers need to listent to live music.

🙂
 
Do you need an expensive guitar to make a tube amp sound good? Which would sound better:

1. So-so guitar with good tube amp
2. Good guitar with solid state amp

 
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