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Solid state/class d vs tube amps
- Thread starter Sparkl
- Start date
In truth I have not done any characterization on the Orange other than seeing how known bad tubes behaved in a chassis. Something i’m Definitely eager to learn more about.Oh! Hardcore eh?
Yeah it just seems that $400 - $500 for the Orange was excessive and didn’t tell you much compared to some of the more traditional style testers.
I could be wrong though.
What type/brand of tester do you like for Mu and Gm parameters?
From what I understand the orange performs over a dozen tests . I’m inclined to believe some basic form of dEp/dEg and dIp/dEg would be in there and that for a fact is not in my Sencore.
AC data if any is available would be nice too.
Well let's put it this way...you give me the best solid state or hybrid amp in the world and the best tube amp in the world, and I will always pick the tube amp as my favorite every single time. Now put the best SS or hybrid up against the amp in my 62 Airline 15w guitar combo, and yeah, I'll probably go with the SS or hybrid
Buying an SVT 6 months later that was the one of the first made and used to belong to the keyboard player for Iron Butterfly who wrote and sang their best songs took a lot of the sting out of losing that rig. But yeah, it sucked because I loved it. OTOH, I've got a new V4B that's 20 lbs lighter and sounds the same and got a super price on it, so I can't complain.Oh that bar with the dicey wiring.
Well that just sucks man.
Beautimous, Chucky! But of even more note to me is that Stromberg Carlson mic/turntable preamp. They used to have a factory about 15 minutes away from my house in Casselberry, FL. How is it?
Ha! A little noisy by today's standards, pretty reliable. Think it may be all discrete.. You are one of the few that recognized it..
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,642
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
The funny thing about tube testers is that they pick a static point on a curve and people extrapolate assumptions about the tube that may not be even remotely accurate.
A properly operating tube, especially a power tube, is characterized by a collection of points on several curves at a variety of operating currents.
A properly operating tube, especially a power tube, is characterized by a collection of points on several curves at a variety of operating currents.
Ha! Ive got a MM 150 combo....i run it on the half power side and its still brutally loud for guitar....must try it thru an 8x10 4 ohm cabinet.... but im happy with my Eden Metro (converted to a head) at 450 SS watts and the 1st channel is tube but both channels sound great.
Not for guitar.....bass maybe......very few old tube guitar amps that cant sound great, especially in the studio and low volume...otoh, a V4 or SVT sound great for guitar.... but, thats what my 76 Ampeg Gemini II is for!Well let's put it this way...you give me the best solid state or hybrid amp in the world and the best tube amp in the world, and I will always pick the tube amp as my favorite every single time. Now put the best SS or hybrid up against the amp in my 62 Airline 15w guitar combo, and yeah, I'll probably go with the SS or hybrid
Most dont test current draw and at lower voltage, not true operating volts.
I own Emission and Mutual Conductance testers: BK 600, BK707 and Hickok 533A....they are a rough guide only.....i always test power tubes in an amp (after these) for current draw at idle for at least 15 minutes to let the tube settle in and to make sure it does not drift in current draw ( i have bags of bad tubes, many with runaway current draw).
I like to test preamp tubes in single ended amps for noise, since there is only 1 preamp tube.
Oh yeah...I should make clear that I'm talking about bass only. That little Airline amp rips on guitar. Made by Danelectro.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,642
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Runaway current in power tubes can have multiple causes, some not at all due to being a "bad" tube. It's rare to have bags of bad tubes unless you happen to be a manufacturer or service shop.
I have 100's of power tubes from several service shops from the last 35+ years...many were free and were already labeled weak or short etc.....most have burned up getter flashing or burn marks on the glass.....some of this stuff was headed to a dumpster but i retested some for fun.....most had the tube pins bent inward on the small preamp 9 pin stuff for example.
Yeah, just because its idleing hotter current draw doesnt make it faulty...
Btw, one old fellow did nothing but car radios....i must have gotten 100+ 6V6 from him in the last 20 years before he passed away.....he was well off and this was a hobby, he once took me to his attic thru a bedroom ceiling opening......1000's of tubes and he said half of them were given to him by family members of deceased radio and tv guys......Western Electric 300B as well.
I found over time that the main difference between SS, class D especially and tube amps comes from users.
People think they long for a clean pristine tone so they set every knob in a shallow position, making sure no light ever blinks.
Then they start wondering why their beautiful bedroom tone doesn't get through and how their 800w aren't as loud as the next guy's combo.
Well yeah on a classic tube amp you don't have many knobs or lights and tone stacks tend to interact with each other, you may not have a master so you just turn knobs until it sounds good.
Most of the time if you feed the preamp by cranking the gain, bother with a pleasant band tone instead of clarity and use knobs over all their range you will find that your SS amp has all the qualities you see in old tube amps.
People think they long for a clean pristine tone so they set every knob in a shallow position, making sure no light ever blinks.
Then they start wondering why their beautiful bedroom tone doesn't get through and how their 800w aren't as loud as the next guy's combo.
Well yeah on a classic tube amp you don't have many knobs or lights and tone stacks tend to interact with each other, you may not have a master so you just turn knobs until it sounds good.
Most of the time if you feed the preamp by cranking the gain, bother with a pleasant band tone instead of clarity and use knobs over all their range you will find that your SS amp has all the qualities you see in old tube amps.
Love that old EICO stuff. Let’s see, had an O’scope and a VTVM.
At work, we still have a Hickock tube tester, the one with the extension chassis.
The only guy who’s used it in the last five years is our retired boss.
He pops in for coffee, picks our brains, sometimes has us fix something that’s too small for him to see.
Forget distortion, just for clean and the quality of low end, mid and the air. Tubes no contest. In a loud band setting, yeah maybe most will not hear the difference.
