Tube Sound Not Real?

I've stated in the past how much I liked the tube sound, separation of instruments, big 3-D soundstage etc, very enjoyable and definitely different then solid state presentation. I went to my nieces graduation last Saturday and they had the school band and choir play a few songs, band on its own and the choir with a piano. As I was listening to the band it dawned on me, there were no real "separation" of the instruments, they all just kind of meshed together in perfect harmony. The sound was very much 2 dimensional with hardly any "depth" to it at all. This was live, right in front of me without the use of microphones, amplifiers or speakers. In fact, I'd have to say it sounded very close to my solid state Sunfire and Klipsch stereo at home.

I do like the tube sound, just not sure anymore how accurate it is in actually reproduction of sound.

Good point. Does "stereo" (or "tube sound" or whatever) strive to emulate reality or enhance it? I guess Kingman's trite observation is in order about now....

Good point. Does "stereo" (or "tube sound" or whatever) strive to emulate reality or enhance it? I guess Kingman's trite observation is in order about now....

Thanks for the plug Ed!!!

The can of worms is open! This thread should be really good!

naw...most on this forum have become a bunch of boring old women who don't like discussion/debate. Too "stressful" and unsettling to their "locked in" world view....
jk!

my daughter is in band so I get the chance to hear a lot of live music.
I can relate to the above post...

the best part is when the marching band surround the parents in the commons.....
super loud....

naw...most on this forum have become a bunch of boring old women who don't like discussion/debate. Too "stressful" and unsettling to their "locked in" world view....
jk!

Well what am I going to do with all this popcorn?

Wouldnt it all be about perspective?

Wonder if it sounded the same at all seating areas, or only where you sat?
You didnt say if it was outside or inside, I'll assume inside an auditorium....could there be a worse place for acoustics than in a gymnasium? yep, outside. Maybe thats why it blended the way it did.

Something to consider is the musicians seating area.....wonder what he heard.....or the conductor, hes in the sweet and juicy like these nutz. spot....
I use to play with my friends, we would sit in a circle and face each other, my guitar would be in front and all the instruments would have a specific height and depth.....I remember my friend playing harp, he would walk around as he played...it was just cool to close my eyes and listen.

Small clubs that offer blues and jazz have much better separation of instruments than any coliseum or large rink that the bigger names would play.

But, all that being said.....maybe your right and what we hear in tubes is distorted. But maybe our experiences with music in our lives.....take death metal lovers and compare them to chamber music fans....is what decides what sounds natural to each of us.

Of course I might be bias cause I love what tubes do....or maybe its that I drink most of the time when I listen to my system.....


Edit:....looks like I got nutzed....

PDR revealed:
"I use to play with my friends, we would sit in a circle and face each other"

I've said it before & will say it again; it is ALL dependent on the recording process & recording engineer!

That said, I agree with the statement that it depends largely on the venue & where you sit....

That said, I agree with the statement that it depends largely on the venue & where you sit....

...AMEN!!!! The Bilo Center in Greenville is a prime example of this. Some of the worst acoustics if you don't sit in the correct position. If you are in the back upper you will hear the echo effect!

PDR revealed:
"I use to play with my friends, we would sit in a circle and face each other"

Ok Ed......yah got me.... that made me laugh.

I'm gonna proof read before I post again

From my concert experiences seat location and the venue mean everything for good sound seperation and imaging. If you sit in the rear of a large auditorium you get nothing but meshed sound waves that have little or no stereo effect. I had the pleasure of seeing AKUS during their "AKUS Live" tour in Portland's Arlene Schnitzer (sp) theatre and had front row center seats. This is an old theatre so the acoustics are perfect, and the front center seats provided the same seperation and imaging the album does at home. Every time I listen to that CD or MOFI album on my system which does include tubes in the CD player and preamp it brings fond memories of that concert.

I have wondered this same thing about what am I really trying to reproduce with the soundstage, seperation of instruments, etc? A friend came over that maybe has a radio on his alarm clock, basiclly no audio experience at all. We played a couple of songs and he said WOW, sounds like the band is right here in the room in front of me. I guess thats what Im trying to reproduce.

naw...most on this forum have become a bunch of boring old women who don't like discussion/debate. Too "stressful" and unsettling to their "locked in" world view....
jk!

Well what am I going to do with all this popcorn?

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH ALL THIS TUBE GEAR?????