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  Power output of tube amps compared to solid states
I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how tube amp power output relates to solid state power output. I've been looking at the classifieds for tube amps and I see lots of tube amps with 50w or 60w output, but nothing close to the 250w output typical of solid state amps.

So I have no idea what type of tube amp is required for my set up, right now I'm using totem forests with a required power rating of 150w-200w at 8ohms. The bass is so powerful on these that I have the sub crossover set to 40hz.

My question is, are tube amps so efficient that 50w from a tube sounds like 150w from a solid state? Or will 50w output from a tube severely limit how loud I can play my speakers? If so, are tubes usually meant to be driving super-high efficiency speakers?

I had previously tried a tube pre-amp with a solid state power amp (both musical fidelity) and didn't like the results because the imaging suffered greatly, even though the music sounded nicer from a distance. Now I want to try a solid state pre-amp (bryston) with a tube power amp (no idea which brand to look at), but I don't know how much power output I need or if it will even be possible with my speakers. Does anyone know what I would require?
Acrossley  (Threads | This Thread)

03-07-10
  Responses (1-50 of 154)
Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

03-07-10   I have wondered the same thing as i am looking to replace my ...   Stereo5

03-07-10   A tube amp can typically 'sound louder' than it's specified ...   Dividebytube

03-07-10   I have owned several pairs of dynaco mkiii monos and i have ...   Rrog

03-07-10   While there are no universal absolute rules, a common differ ...   Mlsstl

03-08-10   Tubes have high output impedance so they need transformer to ...   Marakanetz

03-08-10   Sorry, marakanetz, that explanation is not correct. first of ...   Atmasphere

03-08-10   The why rather than the how: 1) instantaneous power as it ...   Aball

03-08-10   Atmasphere, my due respect to your otls, they are money-no-o ...   Marakanetz

03-09-10   Marakanetz, not to be on your case or anything but while we ...   Atmasphere

03-09-10   Rrog - i was talking 'peak' power, not steady state. http ...   Dividebytube

03-09-10   unfortunately i don't believe this term has a standard defin ...   Mlsstl

03-09-10   I remember hear a 30 watt tube amp "versus" a 250 ...   Pubul57

03-09-10   Here's an interesting tale, at least to me: i have a pair o ...   Br3098

03-09-10   Br3098, try it, you never know- for sure it will work with a ...   Atmasphere

03-10-10   Ralph, i just might do that. it's a smallish room - i don't ...   Br3098

03-10-10   Acrossley; just to chime in, power is power period. and po ...   Minorl

03-10-10   Br3098, i appreciate the humor but seriously, the heat of ou ...   Atmasphere

03-11-10   Sorry for confusing, but i'm not speaking in terms of chaoti ...   Marakanetz

03-11-10   I also absolutely agree and even sure that larger drivers ar ...   Marakanetz

03-12-10   Arthur (aball), i'd like to both thank and congratulate you ...   Trelja

03-12-10   Hey joe - thanks! i knew only a few would care but i wasn't ...   Aball

03-12-10   Arthur are you trying to say that at certain moment of time ...   Marakanetz

03-12-10   Oh marakanetz. i'm not sure i can help. believe it or not, ...   Aball

03-13-10   Honestly, arthur, these two you have submitted are among the ...   Trelja

03-13-10   Wow. now this is good reading.   Pubul57

03-13-10   Ralph, thanks for your response. i am seriously considerin ...   Br3098

03-14-10   Great post there joe. about your comment that class a opera ...   Aball

03-15-10   Arthur, i just switched from a class-b (push-pull) tube amp ...   Layman

03-15-10   Arthur, thank you for the insight, i appreciate it. there's ...   Trelja

03-15-10   Arther, i quite enjoyed your post as well (and previous) but ...   Paulfolbrecht

03-16-10   Br3098, they can be excellent help if the load impedance is ...   Atmasphere

03-16-10: Aball
Oh yes, sorry for the confusion, Paul is right. I had SE Class A in mind. That's the type of amp I've been on the prowl for so that's what I've been thinking about lately.

My comments still apply for Class A push-pull however because they have the same ungapped core design as Class B push-pull since the two halves of each channel remain in opposite polarity and similarly sum in the secondaries. Hence my generalization from the circuit design point-of-view.

Arthur

Aball  (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)


03-16-10   There is a scientific explanation as to why class-a amps sou ...   Orpheus10

03-16-10   Power output i believe, regardless of amp technology used, t ...   Mapman

03-16-10   Orpheus10 and mapman, the reason tubes seem more powerful ha ...   Atmasphere

03-16-10   Atmasphere. no further clarification needed on my behalf. ...   Mapman

03-16-10   I am going to jump into this "tower of babel" with ...   Orpheus10

03-16-10   I have to believe science plays a role here, there is still ...   Pubul57

03-16-10   I think it is useful to differentiate between matters of opi ...   Paulfolbrecht

03-16-10   I found very interesting work that was done by a group of ru ...   Aball

03-16-10   03-16-10: paulfolbrecht furthermore, and much more important ...   Audiofeil

03-16-10   Orpheus10, the reason it seems subjective is only because th ...   Atmasphere

03-17-10   I don't have the scientific background that many here obviou ...   Unsound

03-17-10   My understanding from the experts is not that tubes are more ...   Mapman

03-17-10   What's hotter, 85° in miami, or 85° in phoenix? some would ...   Tvad

03-17-10   Mapman, that is as succinct an explanation as i have ever he ...   Atmasphere

03-17-10   Mapman, atmasphere, not everyone take offense to the same th ...   Unsound

03-17-10   Unsound, that is true. i suppose that could be one reason ...   Mapman

03-17-10   Unsound, what is meant by offense is not really a matter of ...   Atmasphere

03-17-10   Atmasphere, your points are well taken but, i'm doubt that t ...   Unsound


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