Tubes to transistors, is it worthwhile

[peranders]

Originally Posted by Nelson Pass

In this forum we worship imagination and persistence, not
parts. Tubes and transistors are brothers.



and life moves in clades

A new poet is born

Even I have started to work with tubes, only with cathode followers but this is just a start.

[Mooly]

You could always try my Lateral FET amp, a few have built it and liked it... one compared the sound to a KT88 valve amp.
It is a totally captivating musical performer that brings out the best from most recordings... it has that indefinable musical quality to it that captivates hour after hour...

My MOSFET amplifier designed for music.

[tiefbassuebertr]

Originally Posted by Charles Wasserf

I have only ever built tube amps but now need about 50 to 100 W and would like to try solid state mainly to avoid the very expensive output transformers which I have to import.
I am sure other members have also moved away from tubes. What I would like to know is if there have been any regrets and longing to go back to tube sound. Bearing in mind my power needs, which of the many designs should I focus on.
I will use a tube pre-amp so a straight power amp recommendation will be appreciated. Sound quality to be given priority over all other considerations
Regards

I would realize follow projects:

A: preamplifier:
Andrea Ciuffoli's Power Follower - unity gain
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/my/Follower_99c.gif
modify for use as preamp: 9V supply voltage and 1A idle current
unfortunately I don't know commercial model with such parameters.

B: power amplifier, single amping - full range:
Aleph 1.2 (Single ended output, very high output power and pure class-A)
http://www.kk-pcb.com/aleph-12.gif
http://vidar.hallais.no/media/downlo...2%20(200w).pdf
Stereophile: Pass Aleph 1.2 monoblock power amplifier

But better solution for B is a multi-amping solution both at actice or passive crossover network, because one amp for the whole frequency aera is always a compromise
each frequency aera must have the ideal choice of amplifier mode; tweeter: single ended Class-A, midrange: push-pull Class-A and bass: push-pull Class AB. please go for more information to post #2 about the weblink
Need Better power amp for active x'over.

If there are no errors by such a set up, then your sonic quality in all cases definitely better than all me known tube based models (partly because much less microphonic).

Only by mainstream amplifier versions (low and mid price aera), tube based amps mostly have more musical character (more favorable distortion distribution) compared to those with transistors (i. e. solid state amplifiers)

[kstagger]

I've been into tube amps since '89... having owned Dynaco, H-K, Scott, and my own DIY designs (300B SE, 2A3 SE, 6B4G PP, EL156 SE). I dabbled with solid-state, owning a few vintage amplifiers that never really satisfied me. I then bough an Autoformer coupled McIntosh 250 and it wasn't that bad... good enough for second system duty. Not detailed but very pleasant. This positive experience led me to buying an old Threshold S/500 amplifier and FET-10HL linestage from a local seller (the price was too good to resist!!).

The FET-10/HL beat out my DIY linestage (6N6P based) on several levels. The S/500 sounds 'different' than my EL156 SE amplifier - they both have their strengths but I ended up keeping the S/500 in the system. It has dynamics/bass in spades and can drive any crazy speaker I plan to buy - since I'm moving into Planar speakers it ended up being the best choice. The midrange and treble are also very good. If I could compare the sound in a visual way - the EL156 amp is much like a good 'tube' (heh) TV set while the S/500 is more like a LCD.

Honestly I'm not sure I'll buy another tube product again - maybe a preamp - but I'm certainly tired of playing the tube swap game since I think many modern production tubes are inferior to the old stuff... I'm looking at Pass Labs, Krell, M-L or whatever when the time comes for an upgrade.

[nigelwright7557]

Originally Posted by Charles Wasserf

I have only ever built tube amps but now need about 50 to 100 W and would like to try solid state mainly to avoid the very expensive output transformers which I have to import.
I am sure other members have also moved away from tubes. What I would like to know is if there have been any regrets and longing to go back to tube sound. Bearing in mind my power needs, which of the many designs should I focus on.
I will use a tube pre-amp so a straight power amp recommendation will be appreciated. Sound quality to be given priority over all other considerations

Regards

I use a valve/MOSFET hybrid amplifier and that sounds good.
It doesnt need a complicated transformer to run it.
It drops heater DC volts off B+.

[Charles Wasserf]

Hi gentlemen,

Thanks for all the replies. I have been considering the SKA designs by Greg Ball and the Aksa designs by Hugh Dean. Both these have rave reviews and being mature designs, would be probably a better way to go considering my inexperience with solid state. Thanks Mooly for your suggestion. I read the 23 pages of your thread 'Mooly amplifier designed for music', the technical details of which only go to show that I'm better off going with a 'kit amp'.
Has anybody been able to compare these designs and can comment