Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions CD Player - CD-A8T, Tube/Solid State HDCD

I enjoy both solid state and tube components. My current favorite solid state amp is an Anthem PVA 5. I took JohnK's advice and checked out the SoundStage amp test spec page and noticed the Anthem PVA 2 (same as the PVA 5 but with only 2 mono amp components instead of 5). I was surprised to read: " Amount of the signal distortion products is very low, as is the amount of AC line-hum harmonics. Virtually absent is the cluster of AC line harmonics around some of the signal harmonics as has been seen in some other amplifiers measured." I thought JohnK had previously and frequently told us that a well designed amp would not manifest AC line noise. Maybe I have it wrong ... dunno.

I havent't found SoundStage.com specs and test results for a SET tube amp. I did see several results for Push Pull tube amps, but I never really warmed to the sound of Push Pull design tube amps.

I was under the impression that SET tube amps have dominant second order harmonics although I wouldn't begin to suggest that such a quality has anything to do with the sweet music my SET amp reproduces.

I enjoy all my systems. However, I prefer the tube system most of all. While some may think that real world amps operate like a wire which simply amplifies the signal without adding anything more I think this is extremely unlikely. So many little parts, quantum fuzzies and other imponderables which are invisible to those who already know everything.

Straight wire gain - It just doesn't happen in the real world.

I note someone posed the matter as presuming that tube amps "add" something to the signal. I suppose all amps actually add or subtract something from the signal. Nevertheless, the presumption that tube amps add something presupposes that tube amps are not hi fidelity components and that presumption is simply silly.

I prefer my tube system to all my other music reproduction systems because the music the SET amp reproduces is sweeter. Sweeter? What does that mean? someone might ask. Does it add sugar to the sound? No. It is a subtle quality which you get to appreciate after listening to music for a while. Just sounds better, nicer ... sweeter when sweet is called for. Like Jazz, even Ornette Coleman's cacophonous abuse of the saxophone sounds more like you were there and hating it in person. Female vocals ... sweeter, even Janice Joplin, more like you were there and could smell the Southern Comfort to go with the music.

If it sounds more like live music, maybe the SET tube amp is not adding anything, but rather acting like the straight music wire JohnK idealizes. I dunno.

A firm believer in the proposition that you can't have too much of a good thing, I also use tube sources to go with the SET 5 wpc tube amp ... an Ah! Njoe Tjoeb CDP with tube output section, upsampler, big feet, powerkord upgrade, and some fancy tubes. The combination? Sweet! I don't have to wipe maple syrup off my audio rack, sweet, not cloying, sweet, not inaccurate. Do I like it better than the Sony CA9ES CDP? Yes, I think so, though subtle ... have to live with it for a while before the big smile blooms large as the music delights the soul.

Not satisfied with only one tubie source, I picked up, restored and then modified a beautiful H.H. Scott stereomaster tuner (a work of real beauty). All I can say is that the Scott tube tuner blows away any of the fancy solid state tuners I have used before.

I listen to KJAZ and love the music.

So, ask me to explain why my tube components sound so good, I cannot help you. Ask me whether they do sound so good and I can confidently state they sound wonderful, they sound better than some very nice sounding solid state equipment I have also enjoyed.

The tube components delight.

My advice? After you have massaged your solid state 2 channel system to the point you think you have a great sounding system, grab a relatively inexpensive integrated SET tube amp like an Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT or a nice Eastern Electric SET amp, a nice pair of Axiom M3s, a quick subwoofer, like an EP400, or if that stretches the budget too far, a nice quick Velodyne 10".

Put it in your dining room, or den. I think you will agree you will have found a feast for your ears, a tubed smile generator, a sweet music maker.

Make me wrong.

Hi,

Your tube amp is a real work of art. Do you have the EP400? Can you tell us about it?

Ah, Mr. Mojo ... I haven't gotten any of the new EPs, yet. My big 7.1 system uses an SVS 20-39+ or something like that. It thunders. OK for music, although with the Thiel CS3.6s the sub just provides a bit of foundation. The 5.2 system uses a Dahlquist PDQ1500 and Klipsch LF10. The modified Sonic Impact T-Amp 2 channel dining room system uses the Velodyne CHT10. The Garage Kenwood KA9100 system uses the modified Kenwood SW300 sub.

The tube system uses a Vance Dickerson Titanic 10 or maybe 12. I am certain that a nice EP400 would take this achingly wonderful yet modest 2 channel tube system to an even higher level of musical exquisitude.