Solid State for Rock and Tubes for Jazz, Yes or No

For quite sometime I`ve felt the amplifiers with high damping factor produced bass that seemed contrived and artificial.They just did`nt sound like bass instruments do in natural/live settings.It`s as though the normal bloom, tone,fullness,body and natural decay of bass instruments are sacrificed for enhanced tautness,tightening and 'slam'(organic vs hifi oriented traits it seems).I`ve never understood the advantage of ultra DF(ABOVE 100).Are there any speakers with Q factors so high that this level of DF is mandatory?I `ve yet to hear live bass produce the 'tightness'sound some do seek/prefer. I acknowledge it`s a matter of audio system preference like many other desires/choices.A friend and I attended a jazz club recently and listening to an unamplified stand up bass,the rich texture,warm tone and sheer density of that instrument was just beautiful. Did`nt matter if he plucked or played con-arco the full and rich sound was always present. An overdamped amplifier might just screw that up it you want that realism preserved.

My own sense of a more realistic and natural bass is just as Chad and Atmasphere described. I find that a good tube amp with the right speaker can provide a very natural and believable bass(if perhaps less spectacular at times).This is an interesting topic.
Regards,

hi tmsorosk,
Actually I agree with you, most everything we state concerning audio is just based on our individual experiences and and the conclusions we form as a result. What I wrote is just my personal account and impression of my reaction to different amplifier types and not a universal proclamation to be accepted by everyone else.

Chad,Atmasphere, Larryi and others have noted findings same as my own, so I could relate to their points .Larryi`s satisfaction with SET amplifiers is something that I discovered several years ago and would not had thought possible prior to this exposure. OTLs also work great for some with the right speaker choices.

There`s no question there are a number of paths to achieve exceptional bass. I just think some are unaware of the very sucessful method available with high efficiency speaker and tube amps with low DF.This is counter to conventional wisdom.

Regards,

Good SET systems do reproduce classical and jazz music convincingly.The irony is that recordings of these two genres are often done to a higher quaility standard than a lot of rock and in most cases also provide a much wider dynamic range gradient with better musical ebb and flow.Much of rock and pop music is by comparison compressed so it seems listeners will compensate by cranking up the volume.Absolute volume levels will be in the domain of higher power amps if that`s the goal.

I`ve heard SET play digital and analogue rock recorgings very well in terms of overall sound quality and involvement,it was loud but not 'crazy' loud.
Regards,

Wolf,
I think enough people with SET experience have said often that they feel no need to limit what types of music they listen.I include myself in that group without question, but no amplifier or any component does it all. Even if a system performs well across the musical board it won`t be the absolute best at everything, that simply not realistic.

SET can reproduce rock music very well but someone seeking the ultimate rock oriented system then SET would not likely be their first choice to build around. I can`t name any amplifier type that would reproduce 'all' genre of music in the very best fashion without some compromise somewhere along the way.For mapman`s priorities his current system(high power class D amps) may serve him best when all is taken into consideration.For me with different objectives/desires maybe not.That`s the beauty of choice in the marketplace of high end audio.

SET works out fabulously for me but it would`nt for others.
Regards,

That`s one large coffee table.
Regards,

"The sound can best be described as angry muttering"
Palpable presence in spades i`m sure.