And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
"Richer". Uh huh. What the engineer call "distortion", that is nonlinearity and limited bandwidth. Have a look at any McIntosh tube amp: the goal was always, always lower distortion and linear response.
One of the reasons why Vacuum Tube (anything) was superseded by Transistors, Weight, Heat & Hiss. Those heavy Transformers, all that heat generated (50% efficient, half of it heat), and that constant 'hissssss' looking for something, anything to amplify. Yeah, I bought into it, and regretted it. Even the best Transistorized Receivers, Amps, audio gear, might have toned down the Hiss, reduced the heat & were a little lighter, they just don't sound the same. Digital is by far, the worst, IMO.
So we're running Kenwood gear from the '70s, which sounds so much better than the Surround sound, the 4-channel stuff from ages ago, just sounds 'fuller'.
Vacuum tubes? I didn't know they were still in production. The things you learn of timewaster.
ReplyDeleteNemo
I read a recent article that said some company was binging back tube production due to demand from audiophiles.
DeleteHAM Radio has kept all sorts of Tube Amps alive. Simple, effective & raw power.
DeleteRicher sound from vacuum tube amps than digital…some old school things can’t always be improved upon with more modern tech.
ReplyDelete"Richer". Uh huh. What the engineer call "distortion", that is nonlinearity and limited bandwidth. Have a look at any McIntosh tube amp: the goal was always, always lower distortion and linear response.
DeleteVacuum tubes also have an incredible aroma that you just can't get with solid state equipment.
ReplyDeleteThat smell of burning dust? Ozone?
DeleteOne of the reasons why Vacuum Tube (anything) was superseded by Transistors, Weight, Heat & Hiss. Those heavy Transformers, all that heat generated (50% efficient, half of it heat), and that constant 'hissssss' looking for something, anything to amplify. Yeah, I bought into it, and regretted it. Even the best Transistorized Receivers, Amps, audio gear, might have toned down the Hiss, reduced the heat & were a little lighter, they just don't sound the same. Digital is by far, the worst, IMO.
ReplyDeleteSo we're running Kenwood gear from the '70s, which sounds so much better than the Surround sound, the 4-channel stuff from ages ago, just sounds 'fuller'.