Tube vs. Solid-State Amps

[agedhorse]

W

Isn't the idea of tubes being unreliable just due to some batches being poorly produced, and the fact that they all have a lifespan?
They are kinda like batteries in an onboard active tone circut vs a passive one. I've had many bad/short life batteries out of the package, and also had them die while playing. But I still play Both active and passive basses.

Kind of.

Generally tubes (especially preamp tubes) are pretty reliable. Most preamp tubes can last 10,000 hours in some designs, but some players change perfectly good tubes like they are underwear. That can create new problems.

Power tubes are more variable, lifespan depends more on the amp’s design and there can be more defects as well. Again, power tubes are often replaced way too early a lot of times.

 

[Phaidrus]

If you think a tube amp is too much fuss, watch this please.

 

[SactoBass]

Nine months since the previous post. I always enjoy threads about amp types. As for tubes vs solid state, it's kinda like asking what flavor of ice cream do you prefer? Different people like different things for different reasons. And that's how it should be. Diversity is good. One of the things I have noticed in threads regarding tubes vs solid state is, there is a lot of talk about sound, and not much talk about feel. Below is a list of amps that I have owned over the past 50+ years of playing bass. What I have noticed (other than my ridiculous gear addiction) is that amps that have an all-tube power section have a different feel than amps with a solid state power section. I don't know how to describe it, but for me, an all-tube power section provides this kind of tactile feedback or bounce when playing, as if the notes almost jump off the fretboard. I like that feeling. Having said that, at my current age of 70, I can no longer schlep a heavy amp. So at this point in my life, my choice is a tube pre with SS power.

ALL-TUBE AMPS:
Fender Bassman 10 combo amp (bought new in 1972)
Aguilar DB680 preamp into DB728 power amp
Mesa Buster Bass 200
Ampeg SVT-CL
Marshall VBA400
Reeves Custom 225
Kern IP-777 preamp into Demeter VTHF-300M power amp
Fender Bassman 300 Pro
USA Ampeg SVT-VR (<< My #1 all-time favorite amp! Incredibly awesome tone and feel.)
Trace Elliot V4
Ampeg B25B
Ampeg SVT-II non-pro
‘73 Ampeg V4B
Ampeg PF-50T
Fender Super Bassman (<< My second all-time favorite amp! Awesome tone and feel.)
Fender Bassman 100T

HYBRID TUBE PREAMP/SS POWER AMP:
Ampeg SVP-Pro preamp into Carvin 1500 power amp
BBE BMax-T preamp into QSC PLX 3402 power amp
Aguilar DB750
Fender TBP-1 preamp into Fender MB1200 power amp
Kern IP-777 preamp into QSC PLX 3602 power amp
Jule Monique preamp into Crest CA9 power amp
Mesa Walkabout Scout 12 combo amp
Alembic F-1X preamp into Fender MB1200 power amp
Arkham Zephyr preamp into QSC RMX 2450a power amp

ALL SS AMPS:
Sunn Concert Bass (bought new in 1976)
SWR 750
Markbass Jeff Berlin combo amp
Markbass Micromark 801 combo amp

 

[bknop]

Tube amps help promote muscle growth. They promote larger efficient cabs which helps promote muscle growth. They can serve as a tool to provide nice heat in the winter. They provide a heartwarming effect to the cat that lays on top. They glow. They can sound full and rich even at low volume. If you feel like your the only dimbulb in the room, rest assured, there's probably 10 other dimbulbs in the room with you. They're totally tubular man!

What does the modern class D stuff give you? Very little, let me explain. The typical $1000 class d amp weighs 7lbs 1000÷7=$142.8 per pound. The SVTCL is $2500÷80lbs=$31.25 per pound. Class D amps encourage the use of smaller less efficient cabs such as two 1x12. So for example, using two 97db cabs for an efficiency of 100db, subtract 4db for power compression so back to 96db. Add 30db so we're at 126db. With the 300 watt tube amp with larger 100db cabs (two 8x10) we're at 103db subtract 1 db for power compression. Add 24.5db gain and were at 127.5db if we want to add more insult to injury, substitute the two 8x10 cabs for 4 100db 15 woofers, now were at 130.5db bwahaha. 131.5db oldskool vs 126db newschool. The new style setup would require another 1500ish watts to compete with 300 watts. Outlet power requirements would be 460 watts for the SVT a class D to get to the same level with 2x12 would need 3100 watts or 25.8 amps from the wall assuming an 80% efficiency. In the end, the tube system with the 4 100db 15s is 6.7times more efficient at producing acoustic sound. Imagine all the exercise you can get from lifting all those 15" cabs and amp!

Class D amps fails to be an effective way to build muscle, provide heat in winter, does not offer ethereal glow, and offers a terrible dollar per pound ratio. I rest my case.

Note: this is my attempt at humor, but may contain bits of truth in the somewhat ridiculous arguments.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Tube amps help promote muscle growth. They promote larger efficient cabs which helps promote muscle growth. They can serve as a tool to provide nice heat in the winter. They provide a heartwarming effect to the cat that lays on top. They glow. They can sound full and rich even at low volume. If you feel like your the only dimbulb in the room, rest assured, there's probably 10 other dimbulbs in the room with you. They're totally tubular man!

What does the modern class D stuff give you? Very little, let me explain. The typical $1000 class d amp weighs 7lbs 1000÷7=$142.8 per pound. The SVTCL is $2500÷80lbs=$31.25 per pound. Class D amps encourage the use of smaller less efficient cabs such as two 1x12. So for example, using two 97db cabs for an efficiency of 100db, subtract 4db for power compression so back to 96db. Add 30db so we're at 126db. With the 300 watt tube amp with larger 100db cabs (two 8x10) we're at 103db subtract 1 db for power compression. Add 24.5db gain and were at 127.5db if we want to add more insult to injury, substitute the two 8x10 cabs for 4 100db 15 woofers, now were at 130.5db bwahaha. 131.5db oldskool vs 126db newschool. The new style setup would require another 1500ish watts to compete with 300 watts. Outlet power requirements would be 460 watts for the SVT a class D to get to the same level with 2x12 would need 3100 watts or 25.8 amps from the wall assuming an 80% efficiency. In the end, the tube system with the 4 100db 15s is 6.7times more efficient at producing acoustic sound. Imagine all the exercise you can get from lifting all those 15" cabs and amp!

Class D amps fails to be an effective way to build muscle, provide heat in winter, does not offer ethereal glow, and offers a terrible dollar per pound ratio. I rest my case.

Note: this is my attempt at humor, but may contain bits of truth in the somewhat ridiculous arguments.

Need to train the AI a bit more so it can grow in this knowledge.
As of now it is telling me this...


Tube amps and class D amps are audio amplifiers for music and speakers, not fitness equipment, so they do not build muscle.

Audio vs. Fitness

• • Tube amps use vacuum tubes to warm up sound for music systems.
  • Class D amps use fast digital switching to power speakers efficiently.
  • Muscle growth requires resistance training, lifting weights, and eating enough protein.

If you meant audio gear (like guitar amps or stereo systems) or if you meant different types of fitness equipment, let me know so I can give you the right information!

 

[bknop]

Need to train the AI a bit more so it can grow in this knowledge.
As of now it is telling me this...


Tube amps and class D amps are audio amplifiers for music and speakers, not fitness equipment, so they do not build muscle.

Audio vs. Fitness

• • Tube amps use vacuum tubes to warm up sound for music systems.
  • Class D amps use fast digital switching to power speakers efficiently.
  • Muscle growth requires resistance training, lifting weights, and eating enough protein.

If you meant audio gear (like guitar amps or stereo systems) or if you meant different types of fitness equipment, let me know so I can give you the right information!

If you thought my post was from AI, it wasn't. Maybe I should have made some grammatical errors lol. I was just having fun being ridiculous. I purposely never mentioned the great advantages of modern class D amps and the ability to use smaller lighter cabs as a positive. Unlike the old days, a single woofer can be made to handle 600 watts, so we can pair two smaller cabs to a 1000 watt amp. The fact is that modern woofers can handle way more power than the vintage stuff for the same voice coil size. AI definitely needs a lot of work.

As far as my actual opinion on the solid-state vs tube, I prefer the tube sound. But the ability to carry a 1000w amp in a backpack is something I never would have imagined possible in the late 1990's when I was learning bass. My first amp was a Crate BX-25, kinda heavy, compared to what is possible now.