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Tubes vs Transistors: An Audible Difference?
cgenman writes "Are those vaccuum tubes worth the extra price? This paper, a transcript of a speech to the Audio Engineering Society of New York, indicates so, though the reason is surprising: Overloaded tubes behave better.
While the speech itself is from the early 70's, the paper takes on new importance with the recent trend in louder is better music."
You know what else degrades over time? Human hearing ability. I suggest that audiophiles who take themselves really seriously kill themselves before they turn 40 ;-)
How about Steam vs Infernal Combustion? I see a Victorian flame war coming on.
this would get an "obvious" tag.
"Besides for REAL power, there is ONLY tubes. Look are the linear accelator at Sanford, RADAR, Radio, and TV to name quite a few of real power switching"
Oh yeah! I can't tell you how many times I've been sitting in my living room listening to tunes when I think, "Man, my amp would be so much cooler if it could accelerate protons, too!"
people who like tube amps also like "super eficient gold plated ultra expensive cables" that shows their stupidity
DSP CAN NOT give you the same characteristics as a tube.
Of course, DSPs can only apply mathematical transformations to the signal, whereas tubes impart magical qualities that defy quantitization, such as warmth, openness and bredth of sound stage.
They are called vacuum tubes, but they each actually contain individual fairies, all supplying your music with a limitless supply of fairy dust.
Trees can't go dancing
So do them a big favor
Pretend dancing stinks!
... it is my understanding that tubes will sound better, given that anything with transistors will no longer work.