Major Questions Concerning Tube Amps..??


I have read quite a bite about tube amps, positive as well as negative. Here are my questions. I have heard that the distortion level with tube amps are high, is this true.?? Tube amps are usually rated very low in terms of wattage, does this mean they provide more current that solid state amps and if so wouldn't that shorten the life of the tubes. If I replaced the amp that I have for my mains with a tube amp, will this drastically affect the sound of my HT being that the rears and surrounds are powered by a solid state amp.??

DMH
dmhaney
Yep morbius,

I knew what you're saying and I used you as the nearest available( I apologize for that; no harm meant) example that with ability to share information so easily I wonder why no one ever asks to have that information deciphered by someone like yourself with the appropriate background.

The exchange of opinions is nice, but when people are spending their money why are the facts presented by the magazines ever discussed with the same enthusiasm as the myths perpetuated by them?.

That's another topic for another thread; thanks for your thoughtful response and funny anecdote Dr. Have a good one.
Your speakers will not benefit from tube amplifiers, infact you couldn't have owned a speaker that could be worse with tube amplification. Certainly try tube amplifers on your speakers for your own experience but you'll find that your speakers will be murky and boomy.
Certainly not the effect you'd look to spend a few $K on.

Using algorithms like Trifield. What is your current processor? My post was about taking perfectly normal 2 channel cd's and playing them back on your 7.1 system. Its better than two channel! When its setup correctly and its not hokey, its very convincing! Like having huge dipoles without all the draw backs.

You are on the cusp of having an awesome system but you need to get a top flight surround processor to pull the whole system together. Not ruin the careful purchase of similar speakers and their layout through the room by messing up the synergy with antique amplifiers. Move forward not backwards. Resist temptation to line up and make the same mistakes other people have made. Common thinking will get you a common system, so hopefully you'll try a top flight processor (preferably Meridian) as part of your educational tour.

What surround processor are you using? I would put money down that I could make a $5,000 processor and $2000 multi channel amplifier sound better than any tube amplifier you could install in your system at any price playing redbook cd's! Too bad I can't do that for you...:(
Mr. Edwards.
It good to listen to someone that is straight and not full of @#$%. I appreciate every thing you have said and the contributions of the other members. I currently have a Fosgate FAP T1 Processor. I can't afford a Meridian or a TAG. I'm pretty happy with the Fosgate and my speakers adn really my whole setup (except for my sub.I'm working on that). I may stick to what I started to do in the beginning, buying a pair of "mono's" (SS) and calling it a day. I'm still going to audition some tube amps just so I can share the experience everyone is so passionate (positvie/negative) about. Once again thanks for all the anwers.
Hey the Fosgate is a strong processor! Its good enough by a good margin to do what i'm talking about.

If you'd like, in ten minutes I could tell you some tricks where you can get Prologic II to rival or better your current stereo playback from you system. These tricks will also help all of your surround modes.

The Vienna Acoustic center is excellent so you should get great results.

email me if you're interested Velocity_dls AT hotmail.com