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.
Well, yeah, but a 100TH or (even better) a couple 4CX1000s is kinda over kill for audio. 1600 watts at 3000v on the plate is just a leetle more than most audiophiles can handle. Not to mention the extra 200A service inlet so you can run the oven at the same time. The upside is you don't need a furnace, and you can read quite well by the light of the only-slightly-radioactive filaments.....
"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One of the reasons why Vacuum Tube (anything) was superseded by Transistors, Weight, Heat & Hiss.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'.
What you really want is a couple Tiger .01 from Dan Meyer. 60 rms watts a channel, linear from 1-100k Hz, and literally unmeasurable distortion. Zero noise. Trouble was you had to build 'em yourself from a kit - Southwest Tech Products. I took a couple to a McIntosh 'test your amp' clinic back in the 70s. Guy saw me coming, bumped to the head of the line, gave me the test result (way better than McIntosh) and hustled me outta there like a bad smell.
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.
DeleteWell, yeah, but a 100TH or (even better) a couple 4CX1000s is kinda over kill for audio. 1600 watts at 3000v on the plate is just a leetle more than most audiophiles can handle. Not to mention the extra 200A service inlet so you can run the oven at the same time. The upside is you don't need a furnace, and you can read quite well by the light of the only-slightly-radioactive filaments.....
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'.
What you really want is a couple Tiger .01 from Dan Meyer. 60 rms watts a channel, linear from 1-100k Hz, and literally unmeasurable distortion. Zero noise. Trouble was you had to build 'em yourself from a kit - Southwest Tech Products. I took a couple to a McIntosh 'test your amp' clinic back in the 70s. Guy saw me coming, bumped to the head of the line, gave me the test result (way better than McIntosh) and hustled me outta there like a bad smell.
Delete