Tubes & Digital - Is There A Link?


To what extent has the ongoing resurgence in tube components been fueled by audiophiles attempting to "correct" for some of the deficiencies in digital music reproduction? In the pro audio sector the causal relationship is quite clear. As soon as digital music production became prevalent there was an explosion in tube based products, particularly mics and mic preamps, but also equalizers and compressors. There was even line level devices that did nothing to the signal except run it thru a tube based circuit at unity gain. Engineers were upfront in stating that they were trying to add warmth, texture and depth to the digital signal. For audiophiles I'm not sure the link between tubes and digital is as clear cut, but I'm interested in what others think.
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Showing 1 response by socrates

In my experience, tubes can add depth, amazing layering, bloom, body and some add warmth (all of which good SS can also do), but I also think tubes with a digital source make the sound somehow artificial, synthetic, if you will, and am going back to all SS gear on an all digital front end.

On a side note, I recently heard an all McIntosh setup, with tube amp and preamp, McIntoshch cdp and speakers, that sounded so much like solid mid-fi solid state reproduction I had to make sure the speakers where in fact hooked up to the claimed components. It's just about tradeoffs, you pick your compromises. I have found SS gear to sound more real, more believable, less synthetic, but can see where the appeal of tubes come from with a digital setup, especially with a hot tweeter and limited range speaker, where only certain types of music is listened to.