Valve vs Solid state, any videos?

[AJM1981]

I know it is the worst of the best options to watch a video with headphones comparing amps on the same set of loudspeakers in terms of sound with a stationary point of recording. The other options seem to be practically zero to none in getting a bit of an impression. Besides that, most videos demonstrating gear are of people walking around, turning knobs randomly.

In terms of solid state amps I have been going from regular class a/b modern class d, to classic capacitor coupled ones. The world of valve amps seems inaccessible to get any impression. Prices are varying from high to expensive, but there is no option to start with a reference somewhere. So, they might be worth it, but I have no idea whatsoever.

Are there any videos with well recorded examples on the net available that compares any random valve amp to any random solid state one? Rather than people talking about it. So far I couldnt find anything near.

P.s. There might be some stores somewhere that probably can swap between them in an audition room, but no store will just invest time in someone random who has no further interest besides getting a general impression.

 

[Svend P]

If you get a decent tube amplifier, there will be no difference to a solid state amplifier.

Is it true that having both a solid-state amp and a tube amp offers the best of both worlds?

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, I recently came across several YouTube videos discussing this audio paradigm. I’ve just purchased the Meze Empyrean II headphones along with the JDS Labs DAC/amp, and the combination is fantastic. I followed recommendations from this forum to make my...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[er|κzvio1in]

My tip: walk into a guitar shop on a busy Saturday afternoon and you'll be able to hear plenty of (overdriven) tube amps in all their glory.

 

[EdW]

If you get a decent tube amplifier, there will be no difference to a solid state amplifier.

Is it true that having both a solid-state amp and a tube amp offers the best of both worlds?

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, I recently came across several YouTube videos discussing this audio paradigm. I’ve just purchased the Meze Empyrean II headphones along with the JDS Labs DAC/amp, and the combination is fantastic. I followed recommendations from this forum to make my...

www.audiosciencereview.com

But of course a really good powerful tube amp will be extraordinarily expensive when compared with a decent class D amp in particular.
Plus tube lifetime is rather finite and necessitates on ongoing budget to keep the amp in tip top condition.

 

[EdW]

My tip: walk into a guitar shop on a busy Saturday afternoon and you'll be able to hear plenty of (overdriven) tube amps in all their glory.

The distortions of the amp and their tuned speaker system is a necessary part of the guitar sound. But as a music reproduction system a guitar amp plus speaker will sound dreadful

 

[AJM1981]

If you get a decent tube amplifier, there will be no difference to a solid state amplifier.

Is it true that having both a solid-state amp and a tube amp offers the best of both worlds?

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, I recently came across several YouTube videos discussing this audio paradigm. I’ve just purchased the Meze Empyrean II headphones along with the JDS Labs DAC/amp, and the combination is fantastic. I followed recommendations from this forum to make my...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Might be, i just think it is an impossible expensive journey to ever get any personal opinion about it at all. Could as well pick up a random crystal ball with prices ranging from 500 to 5000 euro.

 

[MAB]

David Clark tested amps and people's abilities to distinguish amps from each other, including tube amps, see page 78:
https://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1987-01.pdf
Nobody was able to discern the difference in this test, which included a Futterman OTL-1.

David L. Clark did many of these. AES has a survey of his and many other A/B/X amp tests.

Unless you buy a fashion tube amp that has large frequency response variations, and perhaps even audible distortion, you won't be able to hear the difference. Oh yeah, tube amps struggle with really difficult speaker loads, so if you have a difficult speaker to drive, perhaps you will be able to hear the amp struggle.

What are you looking for? If you want subtle FR changes, get EQ. If you like the sound of distortion, there are better ways to reliably generate distortion. I have a few classic tube amps, they are unremarkable sounding.

 

[solderdude]

Are there any videos with well recorded examples on the net available that compares any random valve amp to any random solid state one? Rather than people talking about it. So far I couldnt find anything near.

The problem with tube speaker amps is that the usually high output resistance will have a different effect on different speakers.
For this reason what you look for is not possible.
The sound signature of such amps thus is largely determined by the speaker.
So speaker amp combination.

 

[SSS]

Comparing sound from videos does not make any sense. What loudspeakers, microphone, placing, room, recorder? All this is biased. And the audio format in the video can be with low resolution. And many videos are promoting some kind of amplifier and loudspeakers with nice words.

 

[MaxxC]

I know it is the worst of the best options to watch a video with headphones comparing amps on the same set of loudspeakers in terms of sound with a stationary point of recording. The other options seem to be practically zero to none in getting a bit of an impression. Besides that, most videos demonstrating gear are of people walking around, turning knobs randomly.

In terms of solid state amps I have been going from regular class a/b modern class d, to classic capacitor coupled ones. The world of valve amps seems inaccessible to get any impression. Prices are varying from high to expensive, but there is no option to start with a reference somewhere. So, they might be worth it, but I have no idea whatsoever.

Are there any videos with well recorded examples on the net available that compares any random valve amp to any random solid state one? Rather than people talking about it. So far I couldnt find anything near.

P.s. There might be some stores somewhere that probably can swap between them in an audition room, but no store will just invest time in someone random who has no further interest besides getting a general impression.

China is about the only place that makes good tube amps at reasonable prices. There are plenty listed on Amazon. However they do cost substantially more than the Chinese class D. I’ve had 6 tube amps and 5 from Chinese companies. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

The best Tube and solid state sound almost identical but cost a small fortune. I’ve used reasonably priced Class D, Class AB and Class A I can’t tell them apart and liked the sound of each

Tubes should sound different because they add harmonic distortion. Solid state they look at Total Harmonic Distortion and getting it as low as possible. In the late 70’s they had the THD wars trying to get it as low as possible among some manufactures. They found when THD got really low the sound suffered Sounding more sterile and flat.

The benefit of tube amps they add even order harmonic Distortion. 2-4-6th Usually 1-2% distortion. They don’t measure well in the Lab. But the human ear likes the sound of even order harmonic distortion if it’s kept in reason. This has been well researched and documented. It’s generally perceived to sound more natural and lifelike by the human ear more like vinyl. Using Psychoacoustic in blind listening tests over decades. The results are consistent.

Not all tube amps though are created equal. SET and EL84 tube amps can sound almost identical. The KT88 amp I owned were on the opposite end and sounded almost solid state.

 

[JohnnyNG]

My tip: walk into a guitar shop on a busy Saturday afternoon and you'll be able to hear plenty of (overdriven) tube amps in all their glory.

If you're lucky - more likely a modelled version of one on some sort of thrash preset.