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Why do we tube lovers love tubes?

#481
Recently I asked myself again why I occasionally play an SVT. Primarily because of the way it sounds of course. There is another reason though. When my SVT heats up it smells weird. Like old cardboard, glue, and vinyl. Somehow that makes me happy. So thats the other reason I play a tube amp - it smells weird.
 
#482
Calaverasgrande said:
I do think he is predisposed to like modeling technology.
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I'm predisposed to discovering why things do what they do (and I developed these curiosities when I was a kid, long before I joined QSC). In this case, why certain types of amp might bend the signal in some ways. That's a starting point for modeling technology.
 
#483
Calaverasgrande said:
As far as the idea that anything can be modeled than amplified with a solidstate "straight wire with gain" amp, it doesnt exist.
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The idea not only exists, but some people are pursuing it.

Some power amps have terrible slew rate and just cant handle low freqs at volume, esp certain brands smps based amps.
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Years ago some amps did have terrible slew rate (wrt their output voltage swing; "slew rate" by itself doesn't actually tell you much) and because of that their performance really went to pieces with high output levels at high frequencies. And I also remember when amps couldn't do low frequencies with significant power unless they had substantial conventional (line-frequency) power supplies. The bar's been raised quite a bit in the past couple decades.
 
#484
I like how tube amps sound.

And the fact, they give me experience when i open them up and look inside of them.

Most of mine are very simple beasts (NOT saying tube amps are necessarily simple) but they are simple to me.

That said, i do also have numerous solid state devices, and love them just as much. :hiding:
 
#485
JimmyM said:
btw, i've got an old edison console record player from 1926 that's my family heirloom! no tubes, but it does rely on ancient technology. even has a crank on the side!
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Awesome! Wonder if some of the "tube lovers" in this thread that hate tube amps would be OK with it?


aborgman said:
50 years from now that modeling rig will probably be the equivalent of $20, and that tube amp the equivalent of $5000.
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Isn't this all the more reason I should keep my tube amps and pass them to the grandkids? They'll have their $20 modelling rigs that perfectly actualize any sound they can imagine due to the neural interface, and of course small and light enough to take along in their flying saucer cars. At that point they can sell the still functioning tube amps, which could well have the same tubes in them they do now for a fortune, and buy a jetpack, or a robot maid.

'sfunny how threads about liking tube amps always get full of posts trying to convince people tube amps suck. I suppose the motivations are good, trying to help us shed our ignorance and do what's best for us. "Why do we like tube amps" thus becomes "why we shouldn't like tube amps."

One thing that has not been touched on, a factor that has nothing to do with sound or performance:


Tube amps are cooler.
 
#487
NecroticImbecil said:
'sfunny how threads about liking tube amps always get full of posts trying to convince people tube amps suck. I suppose the motivations are good, trying to help us shed our ignorance and do what's best for us. "Why do we like tube amps" thus becomes "why we shouldn't like tube amps."
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You're being hypersensitive. Which post offended you?

If any of my posts were offensive, flag me. If you think it is offensive for an electronics enthusiast to voice an opinion in a tube thread, bring it up with the mods and maybe they will add it to the rules.
 
#489
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
Other than seamonkey's ;), where are those posts?
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You'll note I didn't say full of people saying tube amps suck, I said posts.


fdeck said:
You're being hypersensitive. Which post offended you?

If any of my posts were offensive, flag me. If you think it is offensive for an electronics enthusiast to voice an opinion in a tube thread, bring it up with the mods and maybe they will add it to the rules.
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I don't recall stating I was offended.
 
#494
Mudfuzz said:
Actually they are now arguing about arguing about tubes.
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Yay.


I'm not going to dig around and post a link to every thread I've ever read on Talkbass about tube amps. This thread has been relatively civil, but some form of emulation comes up regularly in many tube amp threads, proposed as a superior alternative to tube amps. This thread has veered into discussion the state of current and future modeling technology, which if it isn't already will soon be preferable in every tangible way to tube amp technology.

Regardless, somebody mentioned bikini pics.

Cheerleader-Mankini-the-soup-414259_600_399.jpg




Invalid Link Removed
 
#495
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
I'm predisposed to discovering why things do what they do (and I developed these curiosities when I was a kid, long before I joined QSC). In this case, why certain types of amp might bend the signal in some ways. That's a starting point for modeling technology.
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+1

I'm simply curious about how things work. I'm also pretty good at explaining things, so if I learn something, I don't mind sharing it. If I have an ulterior motive beyond that, it is to learn what I can about the functionality of tube gear, that I could potentially apply to my solid state designs. My goal is not to take away anybody's SVT.

The following design was based on my study of a number of preamp topologies, both tube and solid state:

ebpre.jpg


It started out as an experiment to see if I could render the SVT preamp design in solid state. What it turned into was something wholly different. Is it a modeling preamp? No. Might it evolve into something that is of interest to bassists? Maybe. Will it overturn bass amplification? Probably not, but I'm not ruling anything out. :D
 
#498
All I know is I used to play through my bandleader's Ampeg SVT-4PRO (tube preamp, solid state power amp) for all of two gigs. Then I brought my SVT-VR (all tube) to a gig. I'm not allowed to play through the SVT-4PRO anymore!:cool:
 

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