Hi Tim,
I've highlighted some of your comment (red text) as I pretty much have the same thinking/feeling. I've never yet been able to choose between valve (tube) and Solids; And therein lay the problem, technically its possible to describe the merits of amp/driver matching but in the final analysis, personal tastes will likely rule the day.
Cheers
Mark.
The two conditions of amplifier paired to same driver each result in a transfer function representative of system. A difference transfer function maps each of these together.
In other words, the bass peaking seen at driver resonance with low damping amplifier may be equalized out to get same system response as when driver is used with high damping amplifier. Likewise, inverse of this equalization may be applied to system with high damping amplifier to get same response of system using low damping amplifier.
In other words, the bass peaking seen at driver resonance with low damping amplifier may be equalized out to get same system response as when driver is used with high damping amplifier. Likewise, inverse of this equalization may be applied to system with high damping amplifier to get same response of system using low damping amplifier.
The real issue with tube amps is vacuum.
Cheap artificial vacuum just doesn't sound as good as pure organic vacuum. Frankly, it sucks. And it is necessary to periodically refresh used vacuum. Every tube user must have a good vacuum cleaner.
There has been a recent shortage in good quality organic vacuum. The primary source of high-quality organic vacuum is in the cold vacuum mines in northwestern Siberia. Due to a number of recent mine implosions, that source is "evaporating" and the reliance on the Nepalese vacuum as the primary source of good quality organic vacuum. Since these are low-production vacuum mines, they can't hope to keep up with demand.
An effort is quietly underway to construct a vacuum pipe in Antarctica. This would extend beyond the Earth's atmosphere into space. The problem is that the engineers and workers kept disappearing through the pipe and were sucked out into space. Efforts will continue as long as replacement staff is available.
Tube enthusiasts should be careful of vacuum originating in wine growing regions. It is strongly recommended that the wine-based Pinot No-Air be avoided because it can create dark-colored sound. However, it may have a soothing effect on the upper midrange vocals and a lot of mediocre music starts sounding pretty good after a large amount has been used.
It has been observed that vacuum in the larger 300B tubes can settle at the base. The tubes need to be slowly rotated every month, clockwise only. Sometimes a lipid-immersed Fitsonator can help with vacuum settling, depending on whether the vacuum has been recently cleaned.
There is a rumor that some investors have several railroad tanker cars filled with high-quality liquefied vacuum parked on a siding in northern Montana, but these reports cannot be verified. That said, it might be a good idea to check the source of the vacuum used in any new tubes purchased and the date of last vacuum cleaning.
Hybrid audio systems, those with siliconized vacuum, vary in quality. Though silicone quality is often blamed for disappointing performance, cheap artificial vacuum is typically the case. When that happens performance just sucks. The only way to improve performance is by using large quantities of Pinot No-Air.
Cheap artificial vacuum just doesn't sound as good as pure organic vacuum. Frankly, it sucks. And it is necessary to periodically refresh used vacuum. Every tube user must have a good vacuum cleaner.
There has been a recent shortage in good quality organic vacuum. The primary source of high-quality organic vacuum is in the cold vacuum mines in northwestern Siberia. Due to a number of recent mine implosions, that source is "evaporating" and the reliance on the Nepalese vacuum as the primary source of good quality organic vacuum. Since these are low-production vacuum mines, they can't hope to keep up with demand.
An effort is quietly underway to construct a vacuum pipe in Antarctica. This would extend beyond the Earth's atmosphere into space. The problem is that the engineers and workers kept disappearing through the pipe and were sucked out into space. Efforts will continue as long as replacement staff is available.
Tube enthusiasts should be careful of vacuum originating in wine growing regions. It is strongly recommended that the wine-based Pinot No-Air be avoided because it can create dark-colored sound. However, it may have a soothing effect on the upper midrange vocals and a lot of mediocre music starts sounding pretty good after a large amount has been used.
It has been observed that vacuum in the larger 300B tubes can settle at the base. The tubes need to be slowly rotated every month, clockwise only. Sometimes a lipid-immersed Fitsonator can help with vacuum settling, depending on whether the vacuum has been recently cleaned.
There is a rumor that some investors have several railroad tanker cars filled with high-quality liquefied vacuum parked on a siding in northern Montana, but these reports cannot be verified. That said, it might be a good idea to check the source of the vacuum used in any new tubes purchased and the date of last vacuum cleaning.
Hybrid audio systems, those with siliconized vacuum, vary in quality. Though silicone quality is often blamed for disappointing performance, cheap artificial vacuum is typically the case. When that happens performance just sucks. The only way to improve performance is by using large quantities of Pinot No-Air.
Exactly!
You all know I prefer class D to tubes. The music is why. I spend the majority of my time with early 18th century music on original instruments. That which makes the tiny tube sound so good with girl-and-a-guitar muddies the waters with gut-strung violins, lutes and harpsichords. The warts-and-all honesty of a D-amp can make a lot of female voice pretty strident. To each his own!
Bob
Or a drop (or several) of well aged Merlot also does the trick
Mark
don't forget the Argentinian Malbecs
Bob: "the music" is exactly why some of us do like tubes - not all of which could be described as sounding tiny or suitable only for girl and guitars ( do we really want to list our favorite bar-burner female vocalists, or symphonic works that could give any system a thorough workout?)
Clearly you have yet to hear a valve amp that you could live with long term - the same is true for some of us and Digital / class T amps.
live and let listen
ah yes - since we're talking the Russians now (let's not forget Rimsky-Korsokov and Borodin), I'd be remiss not voting for the efficacy of potato juice - but could never quite get the caviar thing.
according to some forums, ideal
when I want to go dark and smokey (less and less these days) Glenmorangie - but as I get older, for some reason the lighter Irish are more appealing - the Bushmills, Tullamore, etc - then there's the small batch Kentucky Bourbons - less "complex" than the highland or offshore islands' single malts perhaps, all different, each delightful
jeeze, you'd think we had a problem
cheers, Bob
Maybe the other way around (spirits do more liver damage = current)?
Mark
By the way, have any of you guys used Passlab amps to power Alpairs (or CH's)? Any impressions?
Thanks
Mark.
I exclusively use Pass amps with mine and find they mate wonderfully. I have the good fortune of also listening to quality tube amp in my brothers system. Also recently listened to TSSA 1.6(wondefully clean, extremely fast, and airy amp, but doesnt have some tonality as Pass or brothers tube amp) One thing I like about the MA drivers is their ability to voice an amp. Recently built a hybrif of the FW F6, tunrning it into a balanced version. Hooked it up to my 7.3's and my brothers 10.2's and enjoyed some of the best music i have ever heard. Massive space, excellent imaging, wonderful tone(tubelike), love it. I am moving to horns and HE drivers for ***** and giggles, but it is only to try to look at the other side of compromise. Interestingly enough, I am staying with the low mass diaghrams style found in MA drivers by going with ALtec Alnico's in 416 series. 15" woofer with mms of about 53g. THey are being discussed in length in the "Beyond the Ariel" thread, in the context of ability to render detail. Main reason I am looking into them is the hope of finding a bigger more efficient MA
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