The end of tubes??? Thoughts?

[gtirard]

I have been tempted by the PF20t. It will do for home practice and might be amendable to running into a dummy load and then into something to act purely as a power amp for bigger requirements. It's tempting to see if it could work as a small personal monitor, then most stuff direct from it (I have a speaker-level DI box) to FOH. However, in reality I will probably end up sticking with what I have.

I think you don't have to plug it in a dummy load, it's one of the rare full tube amp that doesn't require to be plugged into a speaker. Ideal for studio.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I think you don't have to plug it in a dummy load, it's one of the rare full tube amp that doesn't require to be plugged into a speaker. Ideal for studio.

Oooh.

 

[JimmyM]

I think you don't have to plug it in a dummy load, it's one of the rare full tube amp that doesn't require to be plugged into a speaker. Ideal for studio.

Correct. The dummy loads are built into both of the PF tube heads.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I have been tempted by the PF20t. It will do for home practice and might be amendable to running into a dummy load and then into something to act purely as a power amp for bigger requirements. It's tempting to see if it could work as a small personal monitor, then most stuff direct from it (I have a speaker-level DI box) to FOH. However, in reality I will probably end up sticking with what I have.

Currently my home practice louderiser is an acoustic guitar amp from a company known for its, er, inexpensive products. It's OK, but I can't get a flat response from it. So it's very tempting to change it up. Ideally I'd still like to be able to get something that is flat response too for when I don't want things to sound like an Ampeg, e.g., running guitar through a modeller. Playing over headphones does that, but it can be nice to have some physical separation of sound sources. But then I need a reasonably small, flat cab that can also sound good with a PF20t. So some thought required...

There's been a big jump in the cost of living so this might not be the year for it!

 

[teleharmonium]

The US exports around $2.5 trillion in a typical year; that's a lot of jobs. Are you OK with US exports getting cut, say, in half? That is, of course, entailed by the idea that "nations should be more self-sufficient." Right?

No, it's not. Self sufficiency does not imply less exports. It is available by ensuring a wide variety of domestic manufacturing such that particular markets or key markets - say, those tied to food, defense, or energy - do not become import-only. You can still import those things as well, but the idea is to have domestic capacity if it becomes critical. With supply chain issued being a good example for the motivation.

Audio tubes are not of the kind of importance as food and energy of course, but the principle is the same.

 

[Kendescending]

I’m down to just my 50w PF50t now. For the same basic reason, except it’s my heart. I could probably do one of the new V4b heads, But I think that’s a hard limit these days.

I love a clean sounding tube amp as well, and I recently picked up a vintage Oliver B150 tube amp that weighs 22 lbs. and is around 35-50 watts.

 

[TonyP-]

Cool, check this

Exclusive: Western Electric confirms plans to tackle the tube crisis with its Georgia factory

 

[Ric Vice]

Having used both the Ampeg B-15N and a Walter Woods MI-400-8 which is
IME with the best of analog solid state amps. They both sound great. Just my take.

 

[JohnNash]

"The end of tubes???"

Na...there will always be light at the end of the filament lol

 

[DJ Bebop]

The Vacuum Tube’s Forgotten Rival

 

[seamonkey]

The Vacuum Tube’s Forgotten Rival

Fun and informational article! History is always worth a look at.
Note that "Carver Magnetic Amplifiers" was not a real Magnetic Amplifier. It didn't do so good in the market place anyhow.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

The Vacuum Tube’s Forgotten Rival

By 1948, scientists at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory, in Maryland, had figured out how to manufacture this alloy, which was soon marketed by an outfit called Arnold Engineering Co. under the name Deltamax. The arrival of this magnetic material in the United States led to renewed enthusiasm for magnetic amplifiers, which tolerated extreme conditions

Should be perfect for some bar gigs, then.