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???
06/29/07 18:22
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 		 #141343 - classic sound
Responding to: ???'s previous message
Lynn Reed said:
When tubes clip, the wave form has an abrupt transition into saturation. Transistors have a smoother transition into saturation. Thus, a tube amplifier will provide more distortion harmonics with a high amplitude signal than a transistor amplifier.

And it is the extra distortion that provides the classic sound.

As an engineer, I am offended that distortion is a valuable component of music. On the other hand, most people do not like to listen to sine waves either.


And that's why tubes are nice in a guitar amp, where the intent is to generate pleasing distortion. (Of course, "pleasing" is in the ear of the beholder.)

But otherwise, when the system, either my home stereo (self-powered Genelec studio monitors) or a big PA system at the local concert venue, I do NOT want any part of the signal path clipping (except for that guitar amp), so the euphonic benefits of tubes are not relevant.

And for that big PA system at the local concert venue, I want efficiency because I don't want most of my mains current getting dissipated in the output devices as heat -- I want it dissipated in the speakers where it does something interesting.

Plus, tube amps are big and heavy and if you have to move a rack of amps, you know why we use modern solid-state amps.

-a

List of 33 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
max voltage for breadboard            01/01/70 00:00      
   What is a \"standard\" breadboard?            01/01/70 00:00      
      Breadboards can be extremely useful!            01/01/70 00:00      
         as an educational tool, perhaps ... but ...            01/01/70 00:00      
            Breadboarding helped me a lot!            01/01/70 00:00      
               Seems like a good way to proceed            01/01/70 00:00      
                  On the kitchen table? Hardly...            01/01/70 00:00      
                     As I've said before ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        No protoboards Ever            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Millions of engineers use them, since decades!            01/01/70 00:00      
                              That may explain a few things ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Now I see what you mean!            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Why risk problems ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 I don't see a risk...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Speed            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       I think you did...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Way beyond            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    If you see the "spiderweb technology" ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Now we know ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                              not even absurd by what you have posted elsewhere            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Read all posts, before accusing falsely!            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    the issue is            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Yes, what is the issue?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    State of the art ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Because of the "Classic Sound"            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          More on Classic Sound            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             classic sound            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                wanggggggg            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             Sorry, quite the opposite is true            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Electrostatic speakers anyone ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Amen, Amen and Amen            01/01/70 00:00      
               Breadboards are fun!            01/01/70 00:00      
                  jitters            01/01/70 00:00      

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