h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is the difference between tube amps and transistor amps the same as the analog/digital difference? I know tubes are supposed to sound "warmer," but I never heard that transistors were digital by nature. Can you elaborate and end my confusion, please?

Ouch, did I say that? I'll have to go back and make a few changes. My understanding of the technical stuff is not what it should be.

In shorthand, yes. Valves = analogue.

It is the signal that is analogue or digital. If you take a DDD CD (i.e. digitally recorded and processed) there is no point playing it through a valve. If you have a purely analogue signal (e.g. from an old LP) then you might try and keep it that way. There seems to me little point in trying to change (via a DAC) digital to analogue. However, the first generations of CD players were open to improvement in very many ways. Now they are better, and DACs are disappearing.

I have had the opportunity to listen to a great many pieces of equipment of all types, as a company I am involved with sells some high cost Hi-Fi. The point of the entry is really a plain man's (i.e. me) guide to listening and buying.

To my ears the analogue/digital argument is largely irrelevant. I am not much interested in what is inside the boxes, only in what comes out.

Yes, it is often said that tubes sound 'warmer'. However, the valve equipment that my humble ears have actually heard has all been very expensive indeed. Valves sound to me to provide exquisite detail and total 'black' silence, but whether that is a function of valves per se, or whether it is the care and attention of the manufacturers, I couldn't tell you. One company I deal with quite a lot used to stick valves in their CD Players, the DAC, the amplifiers and claim 'warmth'. It is subjective.

If you, like me, like to listen to 'quiet' music, i.e. small scale jazz, soloists, chamber music etc. you may feel that valves give you something extra, especially if you need to play your music at relatively low volume. But you will pay a high price (dollars) for perfection. The 'perfect system is supposed to be a single end triode valve amplifier and a horn speaker. I have never heard such a system, but I have heard the McIntosh reproduction valve amplifiers with enormous Tannoy horn speakers. It was wonderful, but the system would have cost over $80,000 in its simplest format, and that, to me, is unrealistic.

If you prefer heavy Rock or orchestral/choral music, then power is the way to go. And for power, you need transistors.

There are compromises to be had, between the two 'camps'. Copland in Sweden make very good use of valves in their amplifiers at (almost) affordable price levels. There are many specialist valve amplifiers on the market, but you need always to be looking at build quality and reliability, as they tend to be made by small scale producers who may have enthusiasm but may not have rigorous quality control procedures.

Thanks for clearing that up in my head.

Hey, jqr, come on over and join us in the Hi-Fi Club Rooms if you like this sort of chat. Early days yet, but I hope to expand the membership and get some lively debate going.

http://www.h2g2.com/A411977

I may be wrong, but I think you are missing the point a little pheroneous. Almost all amplifiers, be they valve or solid state, are analogue, and process an analogue system. Digital amplifiers are available, but are not generally used (as of yet).
If you have a DDD recording, it will sound lovely on a valve amp.
A DDD recording is recorded, mixed and mastered digitally, and just as an AAD recording, it is in digital form on the CD. It will be converted by the DAC (either inside the CD player or for those with a bit more cash, in a separate DAC) from digital to analogue, for amplification by the power amp.
There analogue/digital argument isn't the same as the valve/solid state argument.
A triode valve will do a very similar job to a transistor, in that the current applied to one lead affects the current flowing though two others (a very basic description). The correlation between control and output current is roughly linear in valves, and less so in transistors - hence the belief that valves give a smoother sound. Unfortunately valve amplification designs can be quite inefficient, hence the low powers of good class A valve power amps.
I hope that makes a little sense

No, you are not wrong Dr., and I have got myself in a right muddle, in an effort to keep things short and simple. I will re-visit.

the difference to my ears is perhaps one of presense so allthough a tube amp may be a lot lower rated in power output the sound produced at the same decibel level can be more solid,warmer.printed circut boards and their micro components are hard pressed to faithfully reproduce something originaly played on a hard wired tube amp.haveing said that got to say transistor amps are usely very clean.but they need that extra power reserve to sound as good.or comparing tube to transistors by rated output isnt a fair or realistic comparisum of what will make it to your ears or bones =<((((((((((((.