Petrushka
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Undeniable benefit of tubes: euphonious distortion when overdriven. Or at least less harsh.
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If tubes were hidden within an enclosure, would people still desire them as much?
- Thread starter Pancreas
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Robin L
Master Contributor
I've owned several tube amps, including the Marantz 8B, Scott 299B, Fisher 500 receiver and Dynaco amps and preamps. My favorite was the Scott. It was a one trick pony—did a better job with 1950s LPs than anything else I owned. But I could hear the signature colorations of vintage tube gear with all of them and eventually tired of the euphonic overlay.
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I will confess, I do really like the 8B. I rehabbed one for a hifi friend & fellow traveler years back. Nothing fancy -- indeed, I removed some of the esoterica (e.g., the "bumblebee" coupling capacitors) and replaced with good, cheap modern replacements (Illinois "lemon drops"). Heresy, right?
Maybe -- all I know is the result was, to my ear a superb amplifier.
I have a Fisher 500. Nice receiver with a great 1960s aesthetic. That one, too, thoughtfully rehabbed (not by me, though). It paired well with the Klipsch Cornies
I still had when I got it -- the defects of the latter were nicely smoothed over by complementary defects in the former. 
I like those Scott integrated amplifiers, although I prefer the pp EL84 to the pp 7591 models -- and I'd never put any in the big leagues.
The 8B, though -- I could live with one of those.
The Mac MC-225 is another vintage, store-bought (commercial) amplifier I could live with.
Both are too expensive, though, at this point.
Maybe -- all I know is the result was, to my ear a superb amplifier.
I have a Fisher 500. Nice receiver with a great 1960s aesthetic. That one, too, thoughtfully rehabbed (not by me, though). It paired well with the Klipsch Cornies
I still had when I got it -- the defects of the latter were nicely smoothed over by complementary defects in the former. I like those Scott integrated amplifiers, although I prefer the pp EL84 to the pp 7591 models -- and I'd never put any in the big leagues.
The 8B, though -- I could live with one of those.
The Mac MC-225 is another vintage, store-bought (commercial
) amplifier I could live with. Both are too expensive, though, at this point.
I understand leaving tubes and vinyl behind but not CD's since they havent really improved on CD sound quality.
I wouldn't.
My only desire for tubes is for the aesthetic. It is why I don't own any.
My only desire for tubes is for the aesthetic. It is why I don't own any.
I left them behind for digital files saved on my computer...FLAC or high bitrate mp3s.
wadude
Senior Member
I love tubes and have musical instrument amps powered by them. For HiFi they have become like swimming pools; nice when someone you know has one.
I also own the most venerable Marantz 8B. I restored it to like new performance & appearance and it acquits itself quite well in my setup. I address it as "Mr. B" when I want to listen through it.
Every photo of exposed tube gear reads like a satire of the audiophile hobby
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Tubes are fun. If you don't care for them, then simply pass them by. Competently designed tube equipment can perform quite well. Granted, tubes need replacement, and high voltage gear is a bit more prone to breakdown. They also consume more electricity. My puppy occasionally piddles on the carpet, too, but she's so cute! I just clean up when that rarely happens, and she will eventually be house broken. There is also grid bias adjustment to attend to, if that's adjustable by he user via trimmer potentiometers. Set & forget they are not. I use my home brewed tube gear (two circlotron-style mono-blocks and a preamp with line and MM phono inputs) when I want to sit down and pay attention what I'm hearing. For background music, I use a small S.S. Marantz receiver (15W per channel) hooked up to a streamer. That way, I get long life out of the tubes and a steady supply of low cost background music at the same time.
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I like that. Yes, I think I'd call one sir if one graced my collection (even though it's younger than I am).
Here's what this particular Mr. B looked like "before"
And "after" (just don't look too closely
):
Tell
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I wouldn't either. I don't even like the aesthetics of them, I just find them totally uninteresting and just don't get the appeal at all. They're also really inefficient and will at best sound as good as my Topping amplifier and at worst it will mess up my frequency response and add distortion, which is something I can do in my own using a DSP thank you very much.
Tubes really are just a waste of time, energy and resources.
I could not care less about what's in a box, if it performs. If a black box contains solid state or tubes or two alive-or-dead-or-fornicating Schrodinger kittens... whatever. Measure up or go away. I am interested in what comes out of it far more than what's in it.
The tubes showing and being replaceable is simply a practical indication that, just like an incandescent light bulb, you will have to replace over the lifetime of the particular gear. Plenty of audio equipment was designed with partially showing fake tube looks, hidden behind a display window, but never meant to be really replaced.
The audio merits are probably less about the enabling fundamental tech, and more about the overall system design/architecture. Anyone that remotely thinks solid state automaticaly means more linear or tubes are automatically "warmer" (other than in Celsius) etc etc doesn't understand you *can* eff up any design.
Incidentally, my now ex-GF loved this look and never wanted me to upgrade her amp to something better measuring (even though this actually sounded very OK, honestly - Quinpu A6000):
The tubes showing and being replaceable is simply a practical indication that, just like an incandescent light bulb, you will have to replace over the lifetime of the particular gear. Plenty of audio equipment was designed with partially showing fake tube looks, hidden behind a display window, but never meant to be really replaced.
The audio merits are probably less about the enabling fundamental tech, and more about the overall system design/architecture. Anyone that remotely thinks solid state automaticaly means more linear or tubes are automatically "warmer" (other than in Celsius) etc etc doesn't understand you *can* eff up any design.
Incidentally, my now ex-GF loved this look and never wanted me to upgrade her amp to something better measuring (even though this actually sounded very OK, honestly - Quinpu A6000):
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Fair enough
"background music" ? Why would you use tubes for that? I can see for critical listening but for background you just want something dependable and reliable since you aren't zeroed in on sound quality
I bought them for the looks...It's a fashion statement as well. Part of the audiophile snobbery. Let's people know you be serious about your audio.
Just as people who have vinyl players with vinyl discs on display in their living room, is also a statement, let's people know you are not a commoner, ahh you're one of those audio connoisseurs eh
If ALL tubes were hidden inside an enclosure and no longer on display for the eyes to see, would tube amps for headphones be as popular and desired without the erect devices sticking out?
The answer is obvious.
Boom
Read the post; It says I use the little Marantz S.S. receiver for that. The tube gear is for attentive listening only.
My bad I didnt read it correctly
You're good. I miss stuff, too.