 Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
j0shbd: If you have a chance get the store to demo a solid state amp vs tube amp using the same source and speakers. You make up your mind of what sounds best to you. Thats what I did. I walked out with the Radii over the Parasound. One person can say tube is better sounding or another can blow his horn saying tubes are antiquated. It is up to each individual to figure out what he/she wants. Go out and do a demo.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 23
hobbyist
|
|
OP
hobbyist
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 23 |
Is this really the Radii Audio website?
www.radaudio.com
I've heard good things about the amps, but this isn't the most.....umm...impressive..site I've ever seen. It's not particularly informative either. But I guess image isn't everything.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
|
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
Speaking of antiquated technology...
sorry, it was just too easy! 
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
You think a webmaster would settle with $5/month based on current labor wages in China?
...this a joke for those starting to get offended.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
|
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654 |
Josh, as Matt(player8)indicated, SET stands for single-ended triode. As to push-pull, this refers to a type of amplifier operation which is in contrast to single-ended operation and which is sometimes referred to as double-ended, although push-pull is the more common terminology. It should be noted that either transistors or tubes can be used in push-pull or single ended configurations and in the various classes of operation(A, AB etc.). The single-ended type uses in its simplest form just one output transistor or tube. The push-pull uses at least two output transistors or tubes which operate in parallel and are fed voltages which are equal but have been inverted 180 degrees in phase. The result is that in effect half is "pushing" while the other is "pulling" in the same direction in a co-operative effort. The push-pull circuitry is more complex but has advantages especially for higher powered amplifiers in matters such as distortion and hum rejection. Push-pull operation tends to cancel out all even orders of harmonic distortion, while single-ended operation can develop a significant amount of second-order harmonic distortion in particular. As you mentioned, this distortion can be used by guitar players and actually becomes an important part of the sound of the instrument. For home audio, however, accuracy is desirable(amplifiers shouldn't become musical instruments)and applying attractive terms such as "sweet", "warm", "full" etc. to distortion isn't really helpful. Note the test results(including response fluctuations resulting from the high output impedance)of a fairly typical SET amp here , selling for $4,000 per pair.
If you're interested in studying this, of course there're entire books on amplifier design available at the library. The St.Andrews U. site has 3 pages describing some of these factors here and Doug Self also has a site covering amps and other interesting audio topics.
-----------------------------------
Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602 |
In reply to:
Solid State Only: 1
Number of S/S guys that are tired of picking up the tube lemmings and turning them around before they hit the cliff: 1048 
Bren R.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,749 Likes: 37
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,749 Likes: 37 |
Lemmings? Love to read such authoritative reviews from folks who know everything but hear nothing.
You might want to try a tube amp a bit more current than your 67 year old hand me down from 1938.
Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602 |
Look, he's up on his hind legs, he thinks he's people!
Bren R.
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 147
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 147 |
You should hear a good quality tube amp and you may change your mind about quality sound.
Axiom M80Ti(4)
Axiom VP150(1)
Axiom Qs8(4)
Axiom M22ti(2)
Axiom M3ti(2)
|
|
|
Re: Building a Bottlehead?
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602 |
In reply to:
You should hear a good quality tube amp and you may change your mind about quality sound.
... and if you don't like the sound, wait 10 minutes.
It's not so much that I want everyone with a tube amp to switch to solid state electronics... some people like the way they sound. Fat, round, smooth, sleestak - whatever term they want to use for the effect.
It's the reverence that the tubeheads use that gives me a chuckle. It's not the Holy Grail, it's a light bulb with a screen and anode.
Then again, I don't understand buying a "heritage" house on Martha's Vineyard for $2M that's 300 sq. ft and all the interior doors I wouldn't trust on an outhouse.
Everyone draws the line somewhere different between respect for the past and suitability for life for the present.
Bren R.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics24,945
Posts442,484
Members15,617
| |
Most Online2,082
Jan 22nd, 2020
|
|
|
0 members (),
1,172
guests, and
3
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
