Advantages & Disadvantages of a Tube amplifier vs. a Solid State amplifier.
10-20-2003, 07:37 PM
#12
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 23
I didn't audition them Kieth, I simply looked at the specs on the website. I have been involved in Hi End audio for a long time and have generally noticed that most ribbon an planar designs us amps with lots of omph. I had a set of Maggies (Magnaplanar) for a while. They are not as efficient as the Ambiance but the basic problem is the same and quite simple. They are trying to move significantly more air than a cone driver would. To do this you need more power. If you don't have it it will sound nice but will not have the dynamics. Talk to the manufacture more about this. If you really want to go the tube route you may want to consider going with a set of good headphones and a low power tube amp. It is a much cheaper route to go to get that liquid sound. The best tube sound I ever heard was from a 12 watt Cary amp. Getting speaker mate with that and sound good was very hard. Getting great sound from headphones hooked up to a tube amp is easy.
10-20-2003, 09:32 PM
#13
Yankee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,599
Some tube amps sound like transistor products and vice-versa. I recently heard the Classe` Omega monoblocks ... easily the best I have ever heard (Canadian) it didn’t sound lush, thin or any other descriptive term. The amp made the recorded media sound real and isn’t that the goal? Tubes and transistors are the means to an end and each has inherent advantages. Tube circuits are simpler and usually emphasize the depth and width, transistors don’t need output transformers and usually emphasize the inner detail, and both are deviations from neutrality. I recommend using your ears and identifying the electronics that get you closer to the un-amplified sound of acoustic instruments (not because I prefer acoustic music but I know what a piano and drum sound like, I have no idea what an electric guitar sounds like since that depends on the electronics and the artists mood on the day of the recording).
Recommendations: Solid state: Pass Labs, Classe`, Krell, BAT
Tube: Emotive, Audio Note, Cary, BAT
I also recommend Mike Elliot modified Counterpoint
Recommendations: Solid state: Pass Labs, Classe`, Krell, BAT
Tube: Emotive, Audio Note, Cary, BAT
I also recommend Mike Elliot modified Counterpoint
10-20-2003, 11:30 PM
#14
500 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 871
Frank, if I purchase the Ambience speakers, I will make sure that I also purchase correct amplification to drive those speakers properly. It may be a tube amp or it may be a transistor type amp, but it will for sure be musical and it will definately have enough power.
JohnVroom, thanks for your advice. I will definately have a listen to the Classe amplifiers and also a variety of other amplifiers before I make my final decision.
Other amplifiers would include: McIntosh, SimAudio, VerityAudio, Antique Sound Lab, Copland, Yves Bernard Archambault, Quad, Unison Research, Aurum, Audio Aero, Tenor, Conrad Johnson, and AudioResearch.
JohnVroom, thanks for your advice. I will definately have a listen to the Classe amplifiers and also a variety of other amplifiers before I make my final decision.
Other amplifiers would include: McIntosh, SimAudio, VerityAudio, Antique Sound Lab, Copland, Yves Bernard Archambault, Quad, Unison Research, Aurum, Audio Aero, Tenor, Conrad Johnson, and AudioResearch.
10-21-2003, 07:42 AM
#16
500 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 871
It's just that I want to get a decent home audio system. I haven't had a great home audio system for many years and would like one in about a year or two.
I have been reading UHF(Ultra High Fidelity) Magazine and have started reading the books written by Gerard Rejskind, the editor of UHF magazine.
For those who don't know, UHF is a Canadian publication, and they are brutally honest in their equipment reviews. UHF is supported by Broadcast Canada. And since it's a Canadian publication, all the prices quoted in their magazines for audio equipment is always listed in Canadian funds.
I already have a decent car audio system that sounds very nice. I am also going to be adding a sound quality system to my second car in about a year or so. It's in this second car that I will be doing the Audison VRX amp(s) and Alpine F#1 and Focal Utopia.
I have been reading UHF(Ultra High Fidelity) Magazine and have started reading the books written by Gerard Rejskind, the editor of UHF magazine.
For those who don't know, UHF is a Canadian publication, and they are brutally honest in their equipment reviews. UHF is supported by Broadcast Canada. And since it's a Canadian publication, all the prices quoted in their magazines for audio equipment is always listed in Canadian funds.
I already have a decent car audio system that sounds very nice. I am also going to be adding a sound quality system to my second car in about a year or so. It's in this second car that I will be doing the Audison VRX amp(s) and Alpine F#1 and Focal Utopia.
10-21-2003, 09:21 AM
#17
1000 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,783
Hey guys look, Keith won the lottery! [img]smile.gif[/img]
From the looks of the gear for your second car, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you know Jason Hay.
Audio Concepts Mobile has helped me emencely. They continue to be involved with my project today even though I'm on the other side of the country. Good people!
Adam
From the looks of the gear for your second car, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you know Jason Hay.
Audio Concepts Mobile has helped me emencely. They continue to be involved with my project today even though I'm on the other side of the country. Good people!
Adam
