Tube AMP VS DSP Software to Fake the Tube Sound on a Solid State?

[john5220]

Hi guys what is the cheapest way to experience a tube sound that audiophiles keep raging on about? I never heard anything like it but I was told it is basically harmonic distortion? that makes 1 note guitar strings sound like its singing?

Ali Express has $9 Tube amp boards and stuff but I don't know if they come with the 12V charger adapter.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_7,searchweb201603_52

Then I heard NwAvGuy wrote in his blog long ago that tube is nonsense and if one wants tube they should be using a DSP software to emulate it which would be more beneficial.

What do you guys think? I tried searching but have not actually found a DSP software that can make tube sound maybe I am not looking in the right place? I am windows 10

 

[oldsysop]

john5220 should have its own exclusive section in the forum.

 

[solderdude]

Hi guys .....

As an NwAvGuy worshipper you should stay away from everything he mentioned as forbidden fruit.
Tubes are blasphemy in NwAvGuy's world.

 

[Wombat]

MI tube DSP just keeps getting better. Unless you are a guitar hero it probably doesn't matter anymore.

 

[raindance]

Add a pair of high wattage resistors to the output of your amplifier in series with your speakers to increase the output impedance of the amp and let your speakers dictate the frequency response. Use resistors that are about half the value of your speaker impedance.

Alternatively, if you want to waste some money, get transformers to increase the output impedance of your amplifier

You can't "equalize" unpredictable effects into the response of your system. Tube amps interact differently with every speaker load. How do you EQ to add wooly bass, for example?

 

[Veri]

I quite like TwinTube. Once you figure out a preset that works for you, it's quite good.
It's been on sale for as low as $50 in the past. https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/spl_twintube.html

 

[john5220]

I quite like TwinTube. Once you figure out a preset that works for you, it's quite good.
It's been on sale for as low as $50 in the past. https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/spl_twintube.html

Hi is this hardware or a software I can download?

 

[john5220]

As an NwAvGuy worshipper you should stay away from everything he mentioned as forbidden fruit.
Tubes are blasphemy in NwAvGuy's world.

Hmm do expensive tube amps for around 140 dollars sound better than the $50 ones?
Do u recommend any good budget tube amp?

Or best to just stick to my liquid sparl?

 

[Veri]

Hi is this hardware or a software I can download?

It is VST software, as most software DSP libraries will be. Foobar has VST wrapper extension, JRiver and others also support VSTs. EqualizerAPO should in theory also allow system-wide VST use but this can be hit or miss depending on your audio device's driver.

Many options if you hunt for some DSP in the form of VST libs.

Hmm do expensive tube amps for around 140 dollars sound better than the $50 ones?
Do u recommend any good budget tube amp?

Or best to just stick to my liquid spark?

Uh. At that price range, I'd stick to your liquid spark.

 

[solderdude]

do expensive tube amps for around 140 dollars sound better than the $50 ones?

they might measure better (or not) but may have better longevity.
Not going to make any recommendations here.

 

[BillG]

if one wants tube they should be using a DSP software to emulate it which would be more beneficial.

https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Ozone-for-Winamp-2-33163.shtml

 

[john5220]

Yeah I can download mostly anything free I just need to know the names of the software is all so thanks

 

[john5220]

It is VST software, as most software DSP libraries will be. Foobar has VST wrapper extension, JRiver and others also support VSTs. EqualizerAPO should in theory also allow system-wide VST use but this can be hit or miss depending on your audio device's driver.

Many options if you hunt for some DSP in the form of VST libs.



Uh. At that price range, I'd stick to your liquid spark.

Thanks very much

Is there a reason so many people prefer tube amps even tho they just add distortion?

Is it a good sounding distortion or something?

 

[majingotan]

Thanks very much

Is there a reason so many people prefer tube amps even tho they just add distortion?

Is it a good sounding distortion or something?

In objective terms, distortion is NEVER good on music reproduction. “Good sounding” distortion is of course subjective and thus cannot be taken into consideration. So then what is a good application for tubes? Only one good application tubes are good for is guitar amps since guitar distortion is what makes those “unique” electric guitar sounds from well known rock music.

If you want to compare tube sound to solid state, just go to your local guitar shop and plug one of them guitars to a tube amp or solid state amp and hear it yourself. Remember, sound preferences are 100% subjective so if 100% faithful tone reproduction is what you prefer then avoid thinking about tubes

 

[Veri]

In objective terms, distortion is NEVER good on music reproduction.

In a way you're right, because the distortion is pretty fatiguing to listen to.

But, on my ATH-AD2000 headphones synthetically added second order distortion is actually kinda pleasing. Makes voices "pop".
To listen to this effect all the time though? I would definitely pass.

 

[solderdude]

All these manufacturers can't be wrong...
(beware eyecandy)

 

[john5220]

In objective terms, distortion is NEVER good on music reproduction. “Good sounding” distortion is of course subjective and thus cannot be taken into consideration. So then what is a good application for tubes? Only one good application tubes are good for is guitar amps since guitar distortion is what makes those “unique” electric guitar sounds from well known rock music.

If you want to compare tube sound to solid state, just go to your local guitar shop and plug one of them guitars to a tube amp or solid state amp and hear it yourself. Remember, sound preferences are 100% subjective so if 100% faithful tone reproduction is what you prefer then avoid thinking about tubes

I had a listen of tube vs ss for guitars on YouTube and wow the tube sounds incredible that electric guitar playing a love song makes it sound like the one notes from the guitar is actually singing

It's incredible just incredible who knew harmonic distortion was so amazing

 

[solderdude]

Just realize this is NOT what hi-fi tube amps do... not at all even.
Guitar tube ams are driven into clipping and are rather band limited in frequency range.
You should not attempt to play music or voices through these amps.
They are 'creative tools' for musicians and suited for limited instruments.
Distortion numbers are HUGE there.

For hifi the distortion numbers are usually below 1% at normal listening levels and at lower listening levels well below 0.1%.
A well designed tube amp cannot be told apart from a decent solidstate amp.

Tube amps that sound audibly different are basically 'effect boxes' of sorts.
Some folks like the effects VERY MUCH and claim it sounds 'better' (but forget to mention to them).
Others don't care for them.

I had built a 'tube amp' with tubes and transformers mounted on top and heaters connected.
Inside there was a very basic and generally considered mediocre SS amp + a switch on delay so it wasn't obvious it was SS on switch-on.
Those that heard it all said it sounded like a tube amplifier... there weren't any tubes in the audio chain.

So take that experiment for what it was.

 

[FrantzM]

All these manufacturers can't be wrong...
(beware eyecandy)

No contest when it comes to audiophile creds... or any Creds
THIS

vs THAT ..

 

[levimax]

Add a pair of high wattage resistors to the output of your amplifier in series with your speakers to increase the output impedance of the amp and let your speakers dictate the frequency response. Use resistors that are about half the value of your speaker impedance.

Alternatively, if you want to waste some money, get transformers to increase the output impedance of your amplifier

You can't "equalize" unpredictable effects into the response of your system. Tube amps interact differently with every speaker load. How do you EQ to add wooly bass, for example?

+ 100 This!
Most of these tube DSP's simulate over driving the amp input stage for "guitar distortion effects". A Hi-Fi tube amp, unless it is driven to clipping, is not going to act much different than a SS amp EXCEPT for higher output impedance. Higher output impedance is a fundamental difference and as stated above will effect the FR of your speakers in a way that can not be modeled in a DSP. The difference is, when compared to a low output impedance SS amp, a high output impedance tube amp will provide less power to your speakers when the impedance "dips" and more power when the impedance rises. Whether this sounds better or worse depends on many things but it is a real difference.