Tubes and music styles

[Simpleton]

Hi all!

I would like to know your opinion about the most common output tubes and the best music style they go with. As we say here, each monkey on it's branch.
For instance, i know that a 300B has generaly poor bass.
Having a ECL82 amp from WAD, i find it goes well with most of the music i listen to (pop, electronic, ambient, jazz), but it once really really brought to life a song from the band Electronic, an acoustic theme with strings (Soviet). I had never listen to it with so much detail and depth.; impressive. Unfortunately, can't say the same for Gershwin's piano solos.

Cheers!

 

[Sch3mat1c]

Tubes do exactly what you tell them to. Tubes do not cut bass.

Tim

 

[Fuling]

Tubes do not cut bass

Correct, but output transformers often does.

About tubes and music styles: A friend of mine designed an EL34 triode wired SE amp a couple of years ago for another guy that planned to sell kits.
IIRC the amp sounded pretty good, but just for fun he also tried 6L6´s as power tubes. According to the designer, 6L6 was the obvious choice for all kinds of rock music.

 

[kmtang]

300B's bass is rather nice. I have no problem with it at all.

If you like exaggerated bass, subwoofer is the way to go.


Johnny

 

[EC8010]

Piano has rather nasty transients. Compressed underpowered SETs will have trouble with it (as will clipped underpowered PP amplifiers).

 

[audiousername]

Originally posted by Simpleton
For instance, i know that a 300B has generaly poor bass.

That is because of the circuits they are traditionally used in nowadays. The 300B itself should have no problem amplifying DC, let alone bass.

Remember that the circuit can have more influence on the amplifier than the type of valves used...

 

[jlsem]

Piano has rather nasty transients. Compressed underpowered SETs will have trouble with it (as will clipped underpowered PP amplifiers).

My experience shows most problems with piano recordings start with the source. A properly recorded piano cd (Harmonia Mundi France e.g.) can sound absolutely magical with SET and high quality full-range driver speakers.

A high quality SET amp will reveal KRAPPO recording technique that muy-feedback pentode push-pull amps will mask.

John

 

[planet10]

i know that a 300B has generaly poor bass.

The circuit plays a more important role... i've not personally heard it, but Allen Wright's 300B amp is considered to have some of the very best bass from any amp using any tech at any price.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/1204/aachapter63.htm

halfway down the page.

dave

 

[ray_moth]

The apparent lack of bass in some triode amps is probably due to using little or no NFB, with the resultant low damping of the speaker. The effect would also depend on the type of speaker being used, though, since some speaker units require more damping than others.

My experience shows most problems with piano recordings start with the source.

I strongly agree with this! Listening to various piano concertos, from CDs that were recorded by different companies, I found widely different sound quality on transients. The fact that a particularly "violent" concerto can sound good from the right recording company suggests that the fault doesn't lie with the amplifier.