Have you ever tried a tubed component in your system?

Back in the day, tubes were the <I>only</I> choice. Today, some audiophiles still consider them the only choice. Have you ever tried a tubed component in your system?

Have you ever tried a tubed component in your system?
Yes, have one right now
63% (171 votes)
Yes, once upon a time
14% (37 votes)
Am planning on it
6% (16 votes)
Haven't tried one
10% (28 votes)
Not interested in tubes
7% (18 votes)
Total votes: 270

COMMENTS
John Klim's picture

Conrad-Johnson CVA50.

Dave M.'s picture

The only tube-based/hybrid products I have ever owned&#!51;Muscial Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD and Tri-Vista 300 inegrated amp—are in my system now. They sound wonderful. Did I hear any of the differences associated with tube vs transistor components? Sure, but they weren't nearly as distinct as is often made out in the audio press.

Ali from France's picture

Humanity in the digital word! Tube preamp and DAC.

Peder's picture

Magic sounding

FvK's picture

I am too young to be from back in the day that tubes where the only choice, but my mono blocks, preamp and phono stage all have tubes. There was a time even my CD player had tubes, but I recently replaced this CD player with the p8i which graces Stereophile's most recent cover. I like the sound of tubes and it never tires me. I do have a solid-state backup power amplifier just in case a tube blows out.

David L.  Wyatt jr.'s picture

In my guitar amp, tubes rule. But for stereos I've never heard a tube amp that was the equal of a transitor amp at all comparable in price.

Anonymous's picture

every time I listen to tubed components, I feel the urge tp buy!!!

Mike Andrews's picture

I have always thought that tubes have a truer presentation.

rbm's picture

I Have a preamp with a tube. But when it came time to replace the tube and the original was no longer available, the "equivalent" substitute sounded brighter—not the sound quality that drew me to the preamp in the first place.

Geno's picture

Go with triodes. Clean and harmonically rich.

brad - atlanta's picture

CJ PV10A—it was nice.

Bob York's picture

Yes...wonderfull! A 45 SET; a 300B P-P, a preamp, and a tuner.

maurice cuffee's picture

Love the sound, even with inexpensive tubes.

djl's picture

I tried an older Lafayette integrated amp that I recapped and replaced all the tubes. Sounded very musical and smooth! I have also tried a Dynaco preamp and experienced a similar smoothness and wonderful musical sound. I ended up selling them both. Sometimes I wish I still had them. There's not much solid-state gear that can compete!

Allen's picture

It is called psychoacoustics. If you have a rolled-off treble, an uncontrolled, floppy bass, and all a component does right is the midrange—people tend to think "fantastic sweet midrange". It is a fallacy.

Bill Bostancic's picture

Have a tubed headphone amp. Sometime in the next year or so I am planning on selling my solid-state amp and preamp and buying an integrated tubed amp.

Joecool's picture

Mini component...Musical Fidelity X-Can V3 headphone amp ...sounds great with Sennheiser HD-600!

Anonymous's picture

an Audio Research LS-2 preamp

OvenMaster's picture

Yes, I had tube gear... 30 years ago! Why anyone brags about old-fashioned vacuum tubes that get smoking hot, slowly die, burn out and need replacement, get microphonic, break because they're made of glass, and are obscenely expensive to replace every couple of years is beyond me.

Joe Evans's picture

I have and use an ARC-SP9 MkII and a pair of radically modified Dyna MK3s. The transformers and the output tubes are the only items remaining from the original MK3s. Long live the thermionic valve!

Charley Walter's picture

Bottlehead forever!

David's picture

2A3 Amp 3.5 watts per channel!

acres verde's picture

Absolutely! Both my DAC and transport sit on inner tubes. It's hard to beat the airiness of tubes.

Dimitris Gogas's picture

It was a very nice sounding preamp. Mated to a transistor power amp, it created a warm listening experience. Not very truthful, I'm afraid, but enjoyable. Maybe I should try it again some time.

Mike Agee's picture

My preamp and amps (for highs and mids) are tubed. I'd opt for a tubed DAC too but for the heat in summer. Now I swap the tubes for my SS integrated (otherwise bass) amp in the hot months. Running an air conditioner so that I can run tubes in the summer seems like environmental terrorism.

Anonymous's picture

preamp and single ended amps

jw's picture

Musical Fidelity X-10 buffer.

Anonymous's picture

Currently using a MF X-10V3 between and Alps po-based passive pre and my Class-D power amps. Works wonders. Recently had a tubed integrated but prefer my current setup.

Ken Kirkpatrick's picture

Tubes still rule. If it was not for analog and tubes, I would not be reading this website. I would be watching a movie in the theater with all of the other lost audiophiles of yesteryear...

James, Vancouver, BC's picture

Just bought a hybrid tubed preamp. The sound is excellent.

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