I have a deep respect for those who have electrical engineering backgrounds. They bring so much to this forum! I do not have a background in electrical engineering, so I tend to make judgments based on empirical evaluation rather than first principle considerations. But based on my simplistic empiricism, I am amazed that anyone with normal hearing, especially a tube vendor, would dispute that different rectifiers, and here I mean different brands of the same type rectifier as well as different types of rectifiers, can have a profound effect on how a component sounds. For all I know all of this may be limited to differences in sag or rise times. I'd love it if all rectifier differences could be attributed to measurables. I will say that I have noticed some pieces are more influenced by tube rolling than others. Perhaps Erik's comment is relevant to that phenomenon.
Rectifier Tubes
Hi all, can anyone tell me why I hear so much of a change in my amplifier's sound (Coincident Frankensteins; 6em7 driver tube, 300b output tube) when I change the rectifier tube?
I just got the following message from a tube vendor:
"Further, rectifier tubes (5U4) don't pass or amplify any sort of signal so our policy of no returns for tone especially applies to rectifiers. Changing a rectifier tube shouldn't change the tone of your amplifier at all, not even a little bit. This is why many high end amplifiers have solid state rectifiers. "
They actually did authorize a return (I was returning because the tubes were distorting, not because of tone), so I'm not gathering ammo for a fight. I'd just like to understand why my experience is so different from this (presumably highly knowledgeable) individual's beliefs.
Thanks.
I just got the following message from a tube vendor:
"Further, rectifier tubes (5U4) don't pass or amplify any sort of signal so our policy of no returns for tone especially applies to rectifiers. Changing a rectifier tube shouldn't change the tone of your amplifier at all, not even a little bit. This is why many high end amplifiers have solid state rectifiers. "
They actually did authorize a return (I was returning because the tubes were distorting, not because of tone), so I'm not gathering ammo for a fight. I'd just like to understand why my experience is so different from this (presumably highly knowledgeable) individual's beliefs.
Thanks.