Tube Pre-amp (1 Viewer)

[Kevin_R_H]

Craig,

Moving to tubes doesn't mean getting rid of your Home Theater. My Home Theater is integrated into a tubed 2-channel system.

The tube preamp feeds the tube monoblocks, and they drive the Main Speakers during DVDs, as well as the sole components when listening to 2-channel music.

You don't have to compromise 2-channel excellence when integrating Home Theater. Just a lot of salesmen want you to think so, as this allows them to sell more stuff.

Kevin

 

[Craig Ball]

I plan on integrating it down the road back into a home theater, I just sold my stuff to try out tubes, and so far don't regret it. Also I didn't mean to offend with my opinion.

Craig

 

[Michael R Price]

If only someone could teach me the technical reasons why tubes sound better. I know everyone's buying tube preamps and amps and they made the sound a lot better, but how does that make the tubes any better than good solid state electronics? Of course the tubes will sound better than a receiver. Please, someone motivate me to try tubes out eventually. I'm curious.

BTW, I think I shorted out my amp with faulty Cat5 speaker wiring. :-/ It sounded cleaner than before, until the left speaker went "bump"! Oh well, tomorrow I'll replace the fuses and be back on track. Thank the stars for robust Mosfets... try shorting out a heavily biased tube amp with no protection!

 

[Chu Gai]

Didn't your father teach you about protection?

Mike, if you like the sound of tubes and what you're using, then by all means, use them. But for me or anyone else to explain to you why you like what you like, well that's just too difficult. Suffice it to say, I think you've been presented with some technical insights in tube/speaker interactions. Most can be mimicked using solid state and a little creativity. Ask Bob Carver.

Why oh why Cat 5 wiring?

 

[Chu Gai]

Just don't modify that Dyanco like Fremer did in Stereophile (July, 2000). BTW, the 400 is a better amp.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Craig,

You didn't offend anyone.. I was just stating the obvious.
You know what they say about opinions.. We all have them!

Mike....

Why not just use good ol 12Awg? Tried the Cat5 thing... No
difference.. Harder to manage....

As far as shorting a tube amp, my mono's have fuses I would
hope these would blow if they short... They are slow blow
250V 7 Amps I believe..

 

[Amir]

Michael, My daughter almost went to that school but she decided to go to Silver Spring International for her French (she is in 8th grade). There are few good articles in TubeAsylum regarding the difference sound of tubes. Also there is an article by someone (I can not remember the details) who indicates that to reproduce the micro dynamics you need high voltages found in tube equipments. These "micro dynamics" give the subtle cues that make the tubes sound different and give usually better sound stage. I think it is one of those things you have to hear it. I didn't believe it until I heard it.

amir

 

[Chu Gai]

I would love to see the evidence that 'microdynamics' are somehow lost when one moves to solid state. Perhaps what the author actually meant is that there are various degrees of even order harmonic distortion that are superimposed on the musical signal that are absent in solid state?

 

[Michael R Price]

Well, it turns out my wiring was just fine and there was a more serious problem with that amplifier which was working fine for a few months now. I lost three $3 output devices and some small-fry associated circuitry. Strange, since this was not a spectacular thing, the speaker just went silent and I was using under-rated fuses (3 amps, and this amp is pretty powerful) for safety, too. No big bang, no extra heat, no smell, nothing. Lesson: If you build your own amp and it's not designed by Nelson Pass, expect failures. And yes Chu, I know I always should have protection

The Cat5 sounds better, really! Maybe it's just that they have capacitance out the wazoo and roll off the highs, maybe it's a complete illusion, but there was a little less high frequency distortion than the 16-awg copper wire I had (in fact, when I used normal Cat5 the opposite was true, the plain wires sounded cleaner). Bass damping isn't a problem since the wires are only 2-3 feet long. I used 9 pairs of the teflon wires braided, or about 15 awg. BTW, you should read some of the "Audio Asylum" reviews of the Cat5 wires, they're pretty silly. http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/rev...tegoryID=Cable

Amir, do you have a link to any of the articles about tubes? I searched the asylum, but couldn't find any information. Thanks. As I said, I have no experience whatsoever with tubes and I want to learn more about any possible difference, than just the output impedance and harmonic distortion. The thing about requiring high voltages to get the right microdynamics does seem a little fishy.

 

[Amir]

Chu, I have looked for the article but did not find the link in my bookmarks. if I find it I will post it. Note that it is a theory. No one know what something is supposed to sound like. Keep in mind the microphone, the recording devices, the mastering equipment, the pressing machines all change the sound. I personally do not care for what and why - even though I am of scientific mind - I just know what I like and what sound good to my ear. There are a lot of things that we can not fully explain but can hear or feel. I am sure there are solid state amps that sound like the tube amps. In that case why bother, just buy the original - the tube. As I said before you should try it and if it works for you in your system then is worth it.


amir