2. amps-preamps
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What do you see as the downside of tubes?

I have decided on getting a tube amp and it will be the integrated Mastersound 300B driving a pair of Living Voice Avatars, so at least that decision has been taken.

My main question is what you see as downsides of having a tube amp. As I've decided on getting an integrated tube it's really about what the downsides are I might want to know about beforehand.

The ones I'm aware are the following.

-The tubes need to be replaced and in the case of a 300B this will be somewhat costly.

-Bias is another issue but I'm not sure how big an issue. Do you plug in your meter every so often or just when you roll tubes or replace a dead one? The meter as such isn't gonna be a big issue as I don't think it's that expensive.

-Heat won't be a big issue as we have no kids nor a nosy dog that could get burned. Hope my electricity bill isn't gonna go through the roof, but then again, I can't quite imagine that.

I'd appreciate if you could add whatever your experiences are regarding this question are as I'd like to know more before I buy it.

Thanks
krauti

Showing 7 responses by unsound

unsound
7,310 posts
 
Loose bass, forward midrange, bright glassy upper mids/lower highs, rolled off upper highs. Variable performance. Unreliable. High maintance. Difficult to get replacement parts. When they break, they offer the potential to break other links in the system. Excessive heat. Potential burns to children, pets and others. Can cause fires. Requires more care in placement. Limited to use with high impedance speakers. High cost per Watt. Greater sensitivity to speaker cables. Sensitive to vibrations.
unsound
7,310 posts
 
F1a, not smoking anything, must be the second hand smoke from fellow audiophiles burnt tubes. Seriously, as Fpeel noted, nothing I posted hasn't been reported before.
unsound
7,310 posts
 
Irrey, I'm not on anything! Perhaps you should reread the title of this thread. If you've truly been into tubes for as long as you claim, then you should be well aware that the issues I've pointed out have been pointed out by others for just as long.
unsound
7,310 posts
 
"What do you see as the downside of tubes?"
I provided a list. That doesn't mean all tube users will experience all the items on the list. That doesn't mean that the upside might not outweight the downside. The question doesn't ask for a comparison with other technologies. To suggest that I'm smoking something, am on something, or that I have been traumatized by tube use is suggestive (at least to me) of defensive behaviour by those posters. Those who have read my past posts know that I strongly believe that in most cases speakers should suggest what might be the best amplifiers to use. I think that makes it pretty obvious that I also believe that tubes amps might be the best choice for some. I have even recommended some tube amplifiers for some users right here on Audiogon. That said, I stand by my original post as to what I see as the downside of tubes.
unsound
7,310 posts
 
Maineiac, in my first post on this thread, I answered the Krauti's question. In my subsequent posts, I replied to the responses to my posts. "Revelatory, theraputic (just like a good tube amp).)"? Perhaps stepping way from the tubes for a while might offer you some perspective. It's not as though I am insensitive to many of the charms of tubes. I have yet to hear any speakers that do better with tubes that I care to own.
unsound
7,310 posts
 
Atmasphere,
1)Tubes are often much more linear than trasistors?
2)Eldartford already addressed this, but isn't easier/cheaper to keep ss amps away from overload?
3)Perhaps you can explain these "capacitive effects"?
unsound
7,310 posts
 
When did this forum become so mean spirited? I can't rememeber when we've seen so many personal attacks in one thread. It would nice if we could return to succintly responding to queries and approriate discussions without the personal afronts. Perhaps those that feel the need to lower the standards of this type of dialogue should frequent that other site?
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