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I'm too poor for any good tube stuff. A $400 NAD is all I can hope for right now. But maybe someday?
The last time we asked the tube-or-transistor question was almost three years ago (see the results <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showvote.cgi?40">here</A>). So, we're curious if reader opinion has shifted when it comes to tube versus solid state amplifier technology.
Tube fans constantly comment about the "warm," "lush" sound produced by their tube amps. My question is: Why would anyone want their music "colored" by their equipment? I prefer to listen to music as it was intended -- no additions, subtractions, or alterations; solid-state comes close. IMPO, tubes can't do it.
I like the sound of tubes, but really like the dependability of solid state. I'm currently running a couple of single-ended class-A monoblocks, and I feel like I get a lot of the harmonic benefits of tubes without the re-tubing headaches and speaker matching problems. Then again, my guitar amp is vintage tube, and I really like the sound of it.
I know it's considered by most to be a home theatre piece, but my Yamaha DSP A1 and my Nautilus 805's, I love this combination. I've heard tube amps, and granted they sound good, But I dont prefer to coat my music with anything, I want to hear it without modifying the sound. Solid state seems to do this better for me then tube.
I had great hi-fi but wasn't truly enjoying the music until I got back into tubes. I was actually missing my father's homemade 807-based push-pull amp (single channel in those days), AR turntable, and homemade speaker. It's what drew me into music in the first place, at 4 years old.
Before my current tube amp, I owned too many SS amps to count. I was a member of the "amp of the month club" until I discovered tubes. Now I have no desire whatsoever to change my amp. I now just listen to music and spend all of the money I'm saving on recordings instead of hardware.