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Tubes: You Can Tell How it Sounds by Looking

watchnerd

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I just read the following (seemingly ridiculous statement) from Herb Reichert. This can't possibly be true, can it?

"The most important thing you can do with a thermionic valve is to hold it in your hand and study it with your eyes. More than you might think, what you see is what you get. High-energy electrons are boiled off the heater or cathode, pass through the wire control grid, and collide forcefully with that big black, gray, or silver thing—the anode, or "plate"—that occupies most of the space inside the bottle. What that anode structure looks like is probably what your midrange will sound like—ie, if the anode looks smooth and big and richly textured, those same qualities are likely to apply to the sound of the midrange. Study the texture, shape, and color of any tube's anode, then use it play to some Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald: You might be surprised to discover the usefulness of this maxim!"

Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content...ed-amplifier-tube-rolling#vFwqEzic1UzwV7Go.99
 

FrantzM

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I just read the following (seemingly ridiculous statement) from Herb Reichert. This can't possibly be true, can it?

"The most important thing you can do with a thermionic valve is to hold it in your hand and study it with your eyes. More than you might think, what you see is what you get. High-energy electrons are boiled off the heater or cathode, pass through the wire control grid, and collide forcefully with that big black, gray, or silver thing—the anode, or "plate"—that occupies most of the space inside the bottle. What that anode structure looks like is probably what your midrange will sound like—ie, if the anode looks smooth and big and richly textured, those same qualities are likely to apply to the sound of the midrange. Study the texture, shape, and color of any tube's anode, then use it play to some Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald: You might be surprised to discover the usefulness of this maxim!"

Source: https://www.stereophile.com/content...ed-amplifier-tube-rolling#vFwqEzic1UzwV7Go.99
In a world where Ethernet cables are said to make a difference, this fits right in
 

12B4A

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The most important thing you can do with a thermionic valve is to plug it in to mutual conductance tester and measure at the tube's operating points in the amplifier.

FTFH
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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In a world where Ethernet cables are said to make a difference, this fits right in

It's pretty bad, but not quite that bad -- different tubes do sound and measure different.

But in that it relies on magical thinking -- yes.
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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The most important thing you can do with a thermionic valve is to plug it in to mutual conductance tester and measure at the tube's operating points in the amplifier.

FTFH

I'm actually jealous of Herb Reichert, as his ability to mentally will himself into hearing phenomena based upon what he imagines is a mind-over-body skill seemingly on par with Shaolin monks punching through bricks.

Especially considering his choice of using historic vintage recordings (i.e. crappy fidelity) in his reviews. His most recent review of the Dynaudio Contour 20 has him using blue grass recordings from the Smithsonian archives:

 

Sal1950

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I just read the following (seemingly ridiculous statement) from Herb Reichert. This can't possibly be true, can it?
I just can't come up with a reply that surpasses my past "snarkyness" to reply. LOL
 

Vincent Kars

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It is not uncommon to hear what one is seeing e.g.
Silver wires sounds bright
Copper wires warm

How these bloody wires know how to sound like their looks is one of those many riddles science can’t explain.
Bloody science!
 
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