Tubes or transistors?

Myst and rain · #1 03-29-2008, 08:05 PM

Hi,

Do you prefer transistor amps, or tube equipped ones? I checked out the amp guide, but there was nothing there (I couldn't find anything when I did a search).

I know not much about this particular subject, so I thought I'd post this poll. Also, maybe it turns out as something interesting enough to post in the amp guide.

Kind regards,
Alwin

losgatosrg350dx · #2 03-29-2008, 08:11 PM

i would much rather preffer the intricant charachteristics ive come to love about tubes for my guitar, but for high volume amplification and refrence quality audio like expensive stereos, i much prefer solid state....

bammbamm · #3 03-29-2008, 08:36 PM

Try 'em both, you'll hear and feel the difference.

southpaw_lefty · #4 03-29-2008, 08:40 PM

I get warm fuzzies from tubes.

Myst and rain · #5 03-29-2008, 08:52 PM

Are there pros and cons of the two?

Alwin

**elcid** · #6 03-29-2008, 08:54 PM

I'd be suprised if more than one or 2 people vote for solid state. I wont be suprised when people start whining about hybrid and modeling amps not being choices.

Myst and rain · #7 03-29-2008, 09:07 PM

That's interesting and to the point, elcid.

Alwin

losgatosrg350dx · #8 03-29-2008, 10:09 PM

hey, some hybrids and modeling amps sound good
esspecially when the application calls for it

kotornut · #9 03-29-2008, 10:18 PM

Tube amps as of today sound better for guitars. The sound is warmer and more pleasant to the ear. This is scientifically true actually. The sound waves comming froma tube amp are rounded like this ~~~~~~ but the sound waves coming from a solid-state amp are like this^^^^^^ the first is more pleasing to you ear. Essentially all natural sounds are shaped like this. It's true I read about it somewhere but don't remeber where, I think in a Mesa Boogie info pack.

Also, tube amps have better volume for wattage in most cases. Often times 50 watts tube is louder than almost any 100 watt solid-state. They can actually have more verstility in gain as well. Im not sure how to explain this but, on a tube amp the controls are usually more responsive and can be used to delevop a more original or versatile tone.

One thing solid states have over tube amps is headroom. A solid state amp can stay cleaner, at very very high volumes, than a tube amp. Tube amps get hotter at high volumes so you lose a bit of ability to have the cleanest tone at high volumes. But since most of us use distortion more than clean it isn't a problem and modern tube amps are designed with more headroom and usablilty so even at super loud volumes the clean channel on a good tube amp will stay as clean as anyone needs one to for rock and so on. Jazz clean at those volumes? Probably not.

hope this helps a bit.

I myself don't have to have a tube amp for clean but for distortion it has to go through tubes. Tube pedal or or amp all the way.

Jaden · #10 03-30-2008, 06:41 AM

tubes all the way...
I have both and one gathers dust while the other shakes it off.....

I also notice that when I use my SS amp, it does not matter what guitar or pickups I use, the damn thing sounds the same...

when I use the tube amp, I get a huge difference in sound if I just switch a pup from series to parallel...
SS belongs in the bin, although I did quite like the bognor line 6 when I played it in a shop..

Gurj · #11 03-30-2008, 06:55 AM

Another tube fan here. I have had both types of amp and as Jaden said, the tube amps got played whilst the SS gathered dust.
But I would say if all you're interested is in a heavy as **** sound, then SS maybe worth considering.

HeavyMetal4Ever · #12 03-30-2008, 07:03 AM

When it comes to guitar amps, I think that tubes sound better, but there are always some exceptions. I really like the tone of some transistor amps for super clean tones, like the Roland JC's. Generally though, tubes are much better sounding than transistors imho.

Rock on!

varador · #13 03-30-2008, 08:33 AM

Tubes. Even a low-end all-tube amp (Peavey Valveking) does it much better for me than an advanced transistor (Line6 Flextone II head) amp.

Myst and rain · #14 03-30-2008, 09:41 AM

Thanks, guys. It's appreciated.

The reason I asked is because I'm considering buying a small Marshall combo for recording. From the looks of things, I'm going to go for the DSL201.

This thread has been very informative to me. Thanks again.

Alwin

mi2tom · #15 03-30-2008, 10:23 PM

Definitely tube man, put a SS and a tube amp side by side you'll hear the difference at once. A 50watt tube amp can blow a SS 100watt amp out of the water and into the fire, tube always sounded more musical than the SS.