Discussion of Solid State vs. Tubes

[sam9]

Not simply the voltage

Voltages in tube equipment can be hazardous, and if you have no experience putting together electronic stuff, you might consider going solid state for your first go at it.

MR

Don't get the idea you need to be less careful with SS. Voltage itself isn't a killer. That little spark of static electricity you feel when you touch a door knob afeter shuffling acrosss a carpet is very, very high voltage, Just no current.

Low/modest voltage with a heavy current can be very bad. Auto batteries can give you a nasty jolt and they are only 12V. In any case the mains current and power supply cicuitry on either a tube amp or an SS amp present potentially lethal situations. Not to mention large can capacitors. I like the remark (by Rod Elliot, I think) that a typical large filter cap packs enough jules to lift your pet dog a few feet off the ground!

 

[gromanswe]

Soooo... That's what this is all about. Typical engineer, "if a little is good... ".

Rodd Yamashita

You have got it!

Why take more than you need......????
People are greedy, want more! and more, and more ...........infinity

That leaves less for others' needs
For flowers, animals, family in africa
Trees

But in the end GREEDE punishes itself

You can not hang on to a branch of a tree
if you saw of the bit of the tree
you are sitting on.
You got it?

gro

 

[EternaLightWith]

Thanks

All of you who replied. You've been a big help. My thoughts are a little less random now. You've given me a lot to thing about. I think the hybrid system is the way to go. I'm going to start designing one soon. That idea about the chasis and graph paper will save me a lot of frustration later.

I appreciate your responses

Eternalightwithin

 

[Nelson Pass]

Do not underestimate the aphrodisiac effects of
glowing candles - I mean filaments.

 

[PedroPO]

I have both tube and solid state class A amp, without feedback and single ended operation.

both have a few (less then ten) watts of power.

I find that my tube amp is far better in the upper/mid band region. I can "see" that with vocal and acoustic music in a side by side test.

In the bass region the mosfet amp deliver a more solid bass, much much deeper and better controled. the tube amp is a bit dull and bassless.

So I actually am biamping with passive crossovers in the speakers, connecting the tube amp in the upper/mid section and the solid state in the bass section.

It works G.R.E.A.T. !

Try it if you have both amps, and biwire spks

 

[SHiFTY]

Low/modest voltage with a heavy current can be very bad. Auto batteries can give you a nasty jolt and they are only 12V.

Nah, thats a load, you cant get a shock from 12V unless you lick the terminals or something. The only time you can get a shock from a cars electrical system is the ignition coil. 12V isnt enough to counter the very high resistance of the skin.

 

[mrfeedback]

Domestic Harmony

Do not underestimate the aphrodisiac effects of
glowing candles - I mean filaments.

So WAF = Wife Aphrodisiac Factor ?.

Eric.

 

[gromanswe]

PedroPO

I have both tube and solid state class A amp, without feedback and single ended operation.

both have a few (less then ten) watts of power.

I find that my tube amp is far better in the upper/mid band region. I can "see" that with vocal and acoustic music in a side by side test.

In the bass region the mosfet amp deliver a more solid bass, much much deeper and better controled. the tube amp is a bit dull and bassless.

So I actually am biamping with passive crossovers in the speakers, connecting the tube amp in the upper/mid section and the solid state in the bass section.

It works G.R.E.A.T. !

Try it if you have both amps, and biwire spks

I would like to try that with
tube pre-voltage amplifers
and solid current amplifiers, output buffers

what you think/say?

 

[JoeBob]

gromanswe, what you sudjested is eactly what I'm working on at the moment. A se tube voltage gain stage and a class-a se mosfet current gain stage (almost unity gain). Just waiting for my heatsinks to get back from the shop, but I'm betting it'll be pretty good.

 

[planet10]

Re: PedroPO

tube pre-voltage amplifers
and solid current amplifiers, output buffers

This has been done with some success. The Pathos Twin Towers (they don't call it that anymore in respect to 911) is probably the most well known commercial success.

A local fellow (we call him the professor) has such a beast and it is very good.

I'd like to see more DIY variations, it seems a good compromise between tubes & SS and having to buy output transformers.

dave

 

[gromanswe]

Glad to hear, who can hear, Same think

gromanswe, what you sudjested is eactly what I'm working on at the moment. A se tube voltage gain stage and a class-a se mosfet current gain stage (almost unity gain). Just waiting for my heatsinks to get back from the shop, but I'm betting it'll be pretty good.

I use my own design, precious again
Solid Ouput Buffer construction

Patent? ? do not give much for that

 

[PedroPO]

gromanswe:

I actually have a class A, single ended tube preamp with twin outputs. Then I have the tube and solid state power amps as I mentioned before.

I tried it with tube preamp /solid state amp, but the dual amp is far better.

 

[RichardJones]

MOSFET power follower

well, thats what I have right now.

A very good tube pre (ECC99 WOT) which has just enough gain and power to drive my SE MOSFET power amp (using 12v/50Ah SLA batteries, 3.25A bias, HEAT and large heatsinks).

sound is well wonderfull... has the midrange of a good tube, but the authority of SS.

I love it!!!

Richard

 

[annex666]

...at the risk of thread-jacking

...has anyone got plans for a really well designed hybrid amp - using the best features of both solid state circuitry and valve technology?

Preferably class A?

I've been interested in this area of amplifier design for a while but there doesn't seem to be much of a following in the DIY world (or maybe I'm looking under the wrong rocks?)

Also has anyone tried using New class-A with valves?

Any feedback on this would be great!

 

[annex666]

I'm running a thread at the moment for a hybrid amp design (shown below), you can find it in eaither SS or valves - I'm currently taking suggestions as improvements to the design. If an improvement proves popular in the thread I'll integrate it into the final design.

This could be a chance for you SS and valve guys to get together and contribute the best of both your technologies?

Any posts are greatfully recieved and the design will be reposted as it is updated.

Thanks!