Tube Sound Not Real?

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?????

Send it to me. I will give you an opinion as to if it is real or not after a lifetime evaluation.

I bet you would my friend! Thanks for the offer!

I believe the point of this hobby is entertainment, I now think of the tube sound like the air-brushed super-models...

I believe the point of this hobby is entertainment, I now think of the tube sound like the air-brushed super-models...

I believe the point of this hobby is entertainment, I now think of the tube sound like the air-brushed super-models...

Air brushed or not, they still look (sound) GOOD !!!

All reproduced music is just that...reproduced. Somtimes (especially Rock concerts) the home reproduction will sound way better than the live experience. Of course the "experience" counts for something too.

All in all Wayne (Kingman) is absolutly right....what counts is how it sounds to YOU !!!

Just my .02

Sort of how I prefer watching a football game at home on a 50" plasma instead of eating cold $6 hotdogs and drinking warm/flat $7 beers with a lousy view of the plays. I'd love to attend a musical progam at Carnegie Hall before I take the "dirt nap" ! Supposed "perfect" sound from every seat in the house, I'd love to experience that.

All in all Wayne (Kingman) is absolutly right....what counts is how it sounds to YOU !!!

...YO FRANKIE!!! I knew I could count on you!!!!!

Yo, Wayne.......When you're right.......You're right !!


It is a rare enough occurance that its worth pointing out !!

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

How many different types of speakers have you tried?

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

How many different types of speakers have you tried?

-- Does this guy know anything about tubes???
Very good point Tinpan!

Sort of how I prefer watching a football game at home on a 50" plasma instead of eating cold $6 hotdogs and drinking warm/flat $7 beers with a lousy view of the plays. I'd love to attend a musical progam at Carnegie Hall before I take the "dirt nap" ! Supposed "perfect" sound from every seat in the house, I'd love to experience that.

Try getting, paying for and actually enjoying a premium seat. At that point, tell us your observations.

I would say the OP's experience is entirely venue related. If this was outside, there are no relective surfaces to give you position information as the sound becomes omnidirectional and looses any sense of space. I don't like rock concerts in outdoor venues either, and I have been to more than a few. AC/DC sucked IMHO outdoors, but can rock an arena to the ground.

After thinking about this for a bit, I'm not sure it's even fair to try and compare live music with recordings in your home, WAY too many variables on both ends.
I've been to a few rock concerts (many years ago) and have seen a lot of bar bands more recently. I have a few friends who play, and although I really love listening to live music I can't think of one instance where it has sounded better or even as good as my home stereo, solid state or tube.

I own a tube pre amp and prefer the sound over solid state, very warm not harsh played at flat response

Tube sound (or valve sound) is the characteristic sound associated with a vacuum tube-based audio amplifier.
[1] The audible significance of tube amplification on audio signals is a subject of continuing debate among audio enthusiasts.
[2]Many electric guitar, electric bass, and keyboard players in a range of popular, rock, funk, blues, reggae and jazz genres also prefer the sound of tube instrument amplifiers or preamplifiers.


Audiophiles disagree on the relative merits of tube and solid state amplification. Some prefer the sound produced with tube amplifiers on the grounds that it is more natural and satisfying than the sound from typical transistor amplifiers. Those who subscribe to measurement and scientifically-based approaches to high fidelity note that in general, solid state designs can be manufactured without output transformers, and are therefore immune to speaker-dependent impedance mismatches and other transformer effects which alter the system spectral response. Typically, in sound reproduction systems, accurate reproduction of the sound of the original recording is the goal; distortion and uneven spectral response within the audible frequency band is something designers deliberately seek not to introduce.[3]