Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Tube amps vs solid state with todays technology

Hey 2x6,

It seems, at the very least, you and I agree with each other that the concept of "You Get What You Pay For" or "More Expensive Equipment = Better Equipment" doesn't apply too often when it comes to audio gears.

Thank you gentlemen. You have clarified exactly what I wanted to understand.

Couldn't agree with you more, Sushi. Any fool can put together a terrific system by throwing enormous sums of money into each component choice. As far as I'm concerned, the art of the hobby is finding inexpensive components which are almost as good as the incredibly expensive stuff.

Axioms fit right into this program! So, by the way does finding great used equipment.

For example, after posting with a visitor on our site here, a week or so ago, I decided to go out and find a big Onk - an Onkyo M504 2 channel amp. Found one for a very, very reasonable price. Tried it out in my big system which used an Anthem PVA 5 channel amp for the front 5, and a vintage Kenwood KA 9100 for the back 2. Well, my Onkyo 797 is having some kind of problem with one of the 2 back surround preamp outputs (I thought it was the Kenwood).

Hooked the Onkyo M504 to the front 2 channels, use the PVA 5 for the rest (single preout from the 797 into the Outlaw ICBM, a splitter out into the Anthem. Anyway, the M60 like Michaura M665s sound much better driven by the M504 than by the PVA5. Lastly, with 2 giant power output meters up front, and gorgeous polished walnut side panels, the big Onk is just drop-dead gorgeous.

So, to get back to it, trust your ears and go easy on your wallet.

In reply to:

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Just laughing after reading your posts. I think y'all should put away your Nobel Prizes, get out the Q-Tips, put away your preconceived prejudices and kick back with a nice tube amp system.

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Disprove one thing in my post before you act like a smug, condescending jackass.

Know-it-alls just kinda stimulate the sarcasm thing for me. Remember that Star Trek, life is not an equation episode? Use your ears, let go of your arrogance. You do not know it all even if do you have a plastic pen holder - pocket protector thing...

Just a follow up, why did you take my post as responding to yours? I don't agree that tube amps "color" sound, but they do something sweet to it. As to your advice, try 'em and see which you like, I agree with you 100%

I have both tube and sand amps and although each has unique and wonderful ways with music, I prefer the tube amp, but it's subtle, and sometimes, prefer the sand driven systems, depends on my mood, the music, and for certain, for HT, well, that one is obvious.

Anyway, you don't have to take offense so easily, though it's your choice. As to the name calling, I suppose jack-ass isn't really that bad in the grand scheme of things.

Peace on ya!

2x6, you're picking at symatics, here. Tube amps definitely do "color" the sound. Semi On's choice of the word "color" is the same as your phrase "doing something sweet." Look back at your post and try to tell me you aren't belittling people who are simply stating scientific facts.

We know you are an ardent believer in tube amps, which by golly, do color the sound. (Remember that color = doing something sweet.) Colored sound, by definition, is inaccurate sound. Don't try to tell us, or yourself, otherwise.

If you have a valid argument, perhaps it's that accurate sound may not always be the best or most preferable in all situations. I can definitely agree with that. Bad source material can be made to sound better through a tube amp -- unlike solid state where garbage in = garbage out.

Your passive-aggressive retorts to those with dissimilar, dare I say scientifically-based beliefs, are getting old. We've been here before.

Do you think that even ordered harmonics color the music or make the sound reproduction of good tube amps inaccurate? Have you ever even listened to a decent tube amp system? I'm encouraging folks to keep an open mind.

Pmbuko, if you already have all the answers you don't need an open mind.

So folks, put away the cliches, and just be honest. If you haven't experienced both types of systems, perhaps a bit more modesty and a bit less certainty would be in order.

Well stated Peter.

Let me put it this way...

The amateur/hobby aspect:

Do I flatly dismiss tube amps as antiquated, inferior technology of the past (and hence never consider/recommend them for my friend's living room)? -- No! As I said before, sometimes tube amps make the audio hobby a lot more interesting. Both aurally and visually! Nothing is wrong here.

The professional/production aspect:

Do I want a CD that is recorded and mastered by a superbly tuned suite of tube-based production equipment? -- No, thanks! I want all my CDs produced as neutrally and accurately as possible, and tube gears simply cannot match the SS technology there, period.