They just sound oh so right in some undefinable way. Id go with a tube preamp or tube integrated to get a good taste on the cheap. Quality cables, clean, solid iternal wiring, and minimizing cable length also make a positive difference. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like and subscribe. A solidstate amplifier has a solidstate transistors, resistors, capacitors, not tubes preamplifier that produces the tone of the guitar amp, and then has a solidstate power amp circuit that amplifies the signal and drive the speakers.
Most of the amps on stage are just props without any electronics or speakers. For me, knock on wood, i havent had trouble with tube or solid state amps, and tubes last me anyway longer than some people seem to think. Rms wattage is a rating of power at which the amp will start to clip. A little while ago i wrote an article where we asked you to spot the difference between valve and solid state amps.
Mcintosh amplifiers for home audio and home theater. Their isnt a difference between solid state or tube amps because they all sound the same. Tube heads can be ridiculously heavy for the power, while solid state amp are generally lighter. The harmonicsdistortion on the distressor comes from solid state components. Tube versus solid state im looking to build a new system for the living room. Tube amps are much more fragile and problematic versus solid state amps due to the nature of vacuum tubes and the relatively high voltage that the circuitry works with. And they wont just sound better, but it will feel better. A quality amp should be reliable, be it ss or tube. I get all the tubey midrange and soundstage goodness,with the benefits of tight solid state bass. On a solid state amp, that is pretty much your ceiling. If youre still unsure on the tonal characteristics of the two, youll find plenty of comparisons online or on youtube. In the 35000 dollar range are great ss amps from bel canto, hegel, primaire and rouge. If you want the most out of your pedals then buy a tube amp. Well ok, but which solid state amp versus which tube amp.
Fender tube amp vs wal mart solid state amp by scott grove. But our amp discussion wouldnt be complete without throwing solid state models into the mix. Ive been a tube amp guy for years and love em, there is a overall sound i still havent completely heard in solid state. Or to compare a 90 dollar, 10w ss chip amp to a marshall dsl40. There are a lot of people who swear that tube preamps driving solid state amplifiers is da bomb. Solid state amps vs tube amplifiers discussion in amps and cabs started by insomnia, feb 22, 2018. The ua solo 110 is solid state but rich with harmonics. Subscribe for more videos and give me a thumbs up if you liked this video. A quick read of the amp s specs should give you this info easily enough. Order status wish list facebook twitter youtube rss.
In contradiction, a solidstate preamp tends to create odd harmonics. I am just getting into some of this high end audio stuff and was unsure as to whether i should be considering a solid state or tube preamps amps. No, for a solid state amplifier, its output impedance is so low that when it tells the speaker to move, the speaker sends the wave out which bounces off the walls and comes back. Solid state or tube was never the question, and still isnt. Just set the bandswitch for proper frequency range hit the power switch and. The tube versus transistor debates that you hear most often occur in the pages of consumer and music magazines, with descriptive, but imprecise language like warm, liquid, smooth, and dynamic. Im comparing a couple tube amps i built with some simple solidstate amps that came assembled andor. So far ive not heard a hybrid tube solid state combo that does it for me. A solid state amplifier will not allow the speaker to move in response as in the sound wave coming.
The solid state powered sub fills in the lower octaves while taking over the heavy lifting from the tube amp it takes the most juice to pump out bass, increasing my headroom substantially. I had a listen of tube vs ss for guitars on youtube and wow the tube. Dagan runs us through some of the best solid state amplifiers from boss, orange and fender. Solid state amps vs tube amplifiers page 3 the gear page. Yes, i would like to receive emails with news and offers from musicians friend. Tube amps distort less harshly solidstate power sections do so so much that theyre often deliberately limited to prevent it happening because it not only sounds bad, its dangerous to the speakers, which further reduces the available maximum power and when they do, the frequency. Solid state amps vs tube amplifiers page 5 the gear page. Can we talk about tube amp wattage vs solid state wattage. Pushing transistors into clipping sounds very very ugly, so 50 watts is 50 watts. At first, the concept of tube sound did not exist, because practically all electronic amplification of audio signals was done with vacuum tubes and other comparable methods were not known or used. The point, murphy said, is that some professional artists would just as soon use their solidstate pedals as their tube amps.
Hello, ive been playing guitar for a few years now and i feel im ready to get a good amp. Having said that i appear to be a tube junkie having. Solid state amps often get a bad rap because they are cheap and are often what guitar players start off on. Of course, you have your ardent tube heads who wouldnt own a solid state amp if it was given to them. The important thing to figure out is whether the amplifier is a tube amp or a solidstate amp. Can you hear the difference between a tube amp, solidstate amp, and amp modeling software. Solid state amps vs tube amps for bass ultimate guide tone. With a tube amp rated at 50 watts, thats just the amount of clean headroom you get. Power amplifiers are the driving force behind any great home audio system. For now, lets take a look at the difference between tube amps and solid state amps. It essentially uses the tube to retain clarity of tone where its most important whilst the. Tube amps vs solid state amps i third the statement best is best for your speakers and your ears. Theres also the question of the speaker being used, as this has no small effect on tone.
In this livestream, we discuss the differences between tube vs solidstate amplifiers and why some people have preferences for either design. Weve written quite a bit for guitarists that use tube amps, including how often you change guitar amp tubes and the importance of matched tubes. Would you consider a solid state hf amplifier versus a tube amp. Fellow at a club meeting last evening said he dumped his old tube amp in favor of an ameritron als600 solid state amp runs about 500 to 600 watts with no tuneup etc etc. Not an honest comparison to put a cheap tube amp against a top shelf quilter or dv mark. Solid state amps vs tube amplifiers page 2 the gear page. Tube bass amps produce warm, responsive, and organic distortion. Solidstate amplifiers sst, such as transistors and fet are driven by current and vacuum tubes are voltage driven. I know, it sounds strange, but the feel of producing an analog sound using quality pedals and what not physically feels different than playing a solid state amp. In this video travis feaster and i have a bit of fun and run. For example, a 70 watt tube amp provides more power than a 140 watt solid state amp. An avon sg copy and a woolworths teisco checkmate 21 trannie amp branded audition in uk.
The new ge labs ios amp sim from mooer is now free to download for your ios device. We break down the pros and cons of tubes and digital. The top 6 best solid state amps for tone snobs youtube. Tube amp wattage is rated based on the maximum possible volume the amp can produce without any distortion if you ever hear people talking about peak vs. Tube gear or solid state gear can be clean or dirty or colored depending on how it is designed. Ill warn ya now, tube rolling can be addicting and a lot of fun. What are the primary differences between a tube bass amp and a solidstate bass amplifier. Would you consider a solid state hf amplifier versus a. Solid state amps vs tube amplifiers page 4 the gear page.
How to convert a marshall solid state combo to fender princeton tube amp dlab electronics. Solid state amp wattage is rated based on the maximum possible volume the amp can produce. Tube sound or valve sound is the characteristic sound associated with a vacuum tube amplifier valve amplifier in british english, a vacuum tube based audio amplifier. Its a tough decision when looking at purchasing an amp. The stomp box drives another guitar amp tube or solid state which then drives a limited number of the speakers. In terms of ease of repair, because most tube amps are fairly simple and use very basic components, they are typically easier to work on by the end user. Im slowly starting to realize this is a false choice. A tube amp thats 50 watts is to a ss amp thats 50 watts. Whats the difference between solidstate and digital. Manley varimu, massive passive, fairman tmc, tubetech cl1a pair, spl tube vitaliser bigger one and ear 822q and ive got another tube eq on the way.
My first systems were solid state and i cranked them up and dug them, but when i finally put together a system around a tubed integrated the first was an eico hf81 i finally really enjoyed the music. Mom and dad get you a cheap guitar amp for christmas and the amp is a cheap solid state pos that sound like crap and ther for, people associate all solid state. These are 6 of the best amps that prove solid state doesnt suck. Yep, i think that z00york kind of missed the point of the question which was about the rectification, ac dc conversion, rather then ss vs. What sounds better, tube or solidstate electronics. Ive been using both tube and solid state amps since the late 60s. Mcintosh amplifiers blend eyecatching aesthetics, power and sonic integrity in a way that has been capturing the imagination of music lovers and home theater enthusiasts for decades.
The amp modelling vs tube amp debate has been heating up of. Hybrid amps use both a valve and solidstate circuits. I currently have a tube amp i think its sold though and a katana. What is your personal opinion on tube vs solid state amps. Solid state is a great option if youre just getting your feet wet though. Ive heard numerous times that tube watts are not the same as solid state watts when it comes to amps running speakers. Download and convert youtube videos to avi, wmv, mov, mp4, and 3gp formats. I think a tube amp is a valuable option for a headphone that suffers from sibilantharshness, such as the hd 800. On the audio front there are some things that ss does very well amplifying very cleanly and accurately for example. The usual compromise is to use a tube in the preamp stage to drive a solid state power amp. A quick look at the difference between tube amplifiers and solidstate transistor amplifiers. If you want to compare tube sound to solid state, just go to your local guitar.
Oh solid state amps do not have the warmth of a tube amp etc. Whats the difference between a valve amp tube amp and a solid state amp i hear you cry. With a solidbody electric guitar i would argue that pickups and speakers each make more impact on tone than the tube solid state thing. Whats the difference between tube and solidstate guitar amps. Pedals run sooo much better through a nice tube amp. Tube amp vs dsp software to fake the tube sound on a solid. Hybrid amps use a tube in the pre amp section and solidstate technology in the power amp to drive the speakers.
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