Why people still use tube amps when there are plenty of tubes already used in the making of music

[Adis]

LOL. Tell us how you really feel.

The efficiency of tube amplifiers is 40%. 60% is heat - which is proof that it is primarily a heating element and not an amplifier.
My logic is undeniable.
- V.I.K.I.

 

[kemmler3D]

How can you call yourself a true audiophile but mainly use headphones

Easy, just walk up to somebody and say "I'm a true audiophile, and I only use headphones". The cops won't show up.

But in all seriousness, I think the bar for "audiophile" should not be high. Anyone that puts effort into evaluating (even if only by ear) and improving sound quality is a true audiophile in my eyes.

Adding conditions on who counts as a 'real' audiophile makes it too easy to push dogmatic nonsense for those so inclined.

 

[MattHooper]

The efficiency of tube amplifiers is 40%. 60% is heat - which is proof that it is primarily a heating element and not an amplifier.
My logic is undeniable.
- V.I.K.I.

As a tube amp fan and user…. I feel totally disarmed.

 

[antcollinet]

The efficiency of tube amplifiers is 40%. 60% is heat - which is proof that it is primarily a heating element and not an amplifier.
My logic is undeniable.
- V.I.K.I.

To be fair solid state class A amps have a lower efficiency than that. And class AB only gets to about 60-70%.

 

[Ropeburn]

Market gap: DACs/streamers with inbuilt DSP running tube simulation, "R2R simulator" (bitcrusher with filters), and other soundgoodizer effects. BBE sonic maximizer type stuff. For all that extra slam and hypereuphonic effect.

 

[egellings]

The efficiency of tube amplifiers is 40%. 60% is heat - which is proof that it is primarily a heating element and not an amplifier.
My logic is undeniable.
- V.I.K.I.

A tube amplifier does amplify as well as heat; at least my home-brewed ones, do, so it is an amplifier. Efficient? No. An amplifier? Yes. If it did not amplify, then why do they call it that? I might also add that when I light up my tube amps, I sit down for a nice listening session, and when I'm done listening, I shut the amps off and turn on a small S.S. amp for background music. So, my electrical waste is small and tube life is long because the on-times are not long for the tube amps.

 

[MattHooper]

Market gap: DACs/streamers with inbuilt DSP running tube simulation, "R2R simulator" (bitcrusher with filters), and other soundgoodizer effects. BBE sonic maximizer type stuff. For all that extra slam and hypereuphonic effect.

Or:

“ how to take the fun out of tube amps”

;-)

 

[mhardy6647]

But ... the output of a vacuum tube amplifier at IR and visual wavelengths is much more substantial than most soiled, umm, I mean, solid state amplifiers. And I will guarantee you that the original soundstage included both IR and visible radiation.

Bandwidth, baby!

 

[egellings]

But ... the output of a vacuum tube amplifier at IR and visual wavelengths is much more substantial than most soiled, umm, I mean, solid state amplifiers. And I will guarantee you that the original soundstage included both IR and visible radiation.

Bandwidth, baby!

Wow! We're talking' nanometers' wavelengths! That sheen on the cymbals should sound fantastic!

 

[egellings]

The efficiency of tube amplifiers is 40%. 60% is heat - which is proof that it is primarily a heating element and not an amplifier.
My logic is undeniable.
- V.I.K.I.

They do amplify. That's what they're for and that's they do.

 

[tineared]

To sum it up:
Tube amp owners like being warm and fuzzy

 

[egellings]

To sum it up:
Tube amp owners like being warm and fuzzy

Heat turned on for winter warmth and a brewski for the fuzzy. Works just fine for me, and the glow of the tubes has a nice fireplace shade of orange. And, you get tunes with it.

 

[MattHooper]

Heat turned on for winter warmth and a brewski for the fuzzy. Works just fine for me, and the glow of the tubes has a nice fireplace shade of orange. And, you get tunes with it.

My tube monos are in a separate room for my listening room, so fortunately I never have to worry about overheating the room. They don’t seem to overheat the room they’re in anyway.

 

[mhardy6647]

Wow! We're talking' nanometers' wavelengths! That sheen on the cymbals should sound fantastic!

As long as it's not digital. That digital light is harsh.

 

[Adis]

They do amplify. That's what they're for and that's they do.

Byproduct.

 

[Pancreas]

why are tubes so desired for headphones but not for speakers/studio monitors

This is how you know tube amps for headphones are more of fashion statement than the actual sound.

And here is I crush the fanatics

If ALL tubes were hidden inside an enclosure and no longer exposed to human eye for whatever reason, would tube amps for headphones be as popular and desired without the erect devices sticking out?

The answer is obvious

Boom

 

[Mr Vinyl]

I tend to agree, the music is finished when the master is done. It's not the listener's job to keep working on the mix, any more than it's the diner's job to finish cooking the meal.

That said, lots of people don't care who does what as long as they like the sound. Fair enough.

Either way, tube amps are still a bit of a head-scratcher, since the same plugins you mentioned here can be used at home to spice up the sound... often for free.

Why do people add eq?

 

[krabapple]

Why do people add eq?

To rebalance audio that room acoustics unbalances, is one legit and very common reason.

Though maybe people don't think of it in terms of 'changing EQ', even though it is that. The idea is to change the output so that what is heard at the MLP is the 'intended ' EQ.

IOW, the room 'adds EQ'; DSP 'removes' the added EQ.

 

[Ropeburn]

Why do people add eq?

Unlike tubes that add distortion, EQ is actually meant to remove it. "To equalise" in a technical sense means to "un-distort" - a skewed (unequal) frequency response by whatever cause is a form of distortion. An old German word for equaliser is Entzerrer - "de-distorter".

 

[Mr Vinyl]

To rebalance audio that room acoustics unbalances, is one legit and very common reason.

Though maybe people don't think of it in terms of 'changing EQ', even though it is that. The idea is to change the output so that what is heard at the MLP is the 'intended ' EQ.

IOW, the room 'adds EQ'; DSP 'removes' the added EQ.

The most common reason is to render the sound according to one's preference. Tubes are the same thing. Both are 'altering' the final master.