Posted by thetubeguy1954 [ 216.230.40.218 ] on December 09, 2004 at 16:14:04:
In Reply to: Some reasons why SETs sound different posted by akhilesh on December 08, 2004 at 14:52:53:
Hello everyone. I'm a new member who migrated over from Audio Asylum. I couldn't remain where a subject cannot be debated and discussed, but rather turns into name calling as self-proclaimed audio gurus attack all who disagree with their audio beliefs. While musical monks constantly chant STEREOPHILE DOES NO WRONG, STEREOPHILE DOES NO WRONG, over & over again... Well in any event I read this thread with great interest. I own a Mastersound Reference 845 integrated SET. It's very big (15" L x 22" D x 10" H) heavy (150LBS) and expensive. I believe that manualblock had it correct when he said; "Why in Gods name would we not want to pay $300 for an amp instead of $3000? It just assumes all tube guys are fools." I agree with that statement 100%!!!! I didn't buy the Mastersound because it cost a lot of money. Fact is, I'm disabled and need to save long and hard to buy my audio components. I didn't buy it because it's an SET, either. I bought the Mastersound because it came closer than anything else I'd ever heard to making music sound like music. This amp stopped me from criticing my CD and lulls me into listening to my CD's. It makes one song turn into a CD. Then it makes a CD turn into CD's. Next thing I know it's 3 AM in the morning and I still want to listen to music. That's the main reason anyone who buys any piece of audio gear should buy it! BECAUSE IT MAKES MUSIC. Find me another amplifier that; A) SOUNDS as much like real music as the Mastersound does and B) LOOKS, yes looks plays a part in my choice, as good as the Mastersound does for under $3000 and I'll buy it and sell the Mastersound TODAY! I have no vested interest in spending a lot of money or buying an SET. It's just that, unfortunate as it may be, SET's come closest to making music sound like music. Even more unfortunately, the more they cost, the more realistic they become. I've owned solid state and it can be good, but it's never GREAT. I swore I'd never own tube equipment, afterall from the moment you turn them on your tubes (like us) are just that much closer to death. But when I heard a good tube system, I knew it was superior to solid state. Just like when I heard an SET I knew it was superior to all other tube topologies (maybe OTL is an exception ~ I'm still undecided) SET is like SEX, once you've had it, you cannot imagine life without it. I believe this to be the truth with all my heart and soul. I just wished someone could make a $500 solid state amp sound like a $5000 or $10,000 SET does. Then I could afford to bi-amp or tri-amp. But until that day arrives, I'll live with my 40W ch of SET bliss.
I'd like to also address something akhilesh said. After akhilesh proposed the question: "Which offers greater "fidelity"? he proclaimed "I think SS amps for sure" I must state that I disagree with this statement 100% I firmly believe that SET's offer the greatest fidelity! According to the Merriam-Webster Collage dictionary Fidelity means:
1 a : the quality or state of being faithful b : accuracy in details : EXACTNESS
2 : the degree to which an electronic device (as a record player, radio, or television) accurately reproduces its effect (as sound or picture)
So if we use #1 as the main meaning, then for true musical fidelity we need to have accuracy in details or "exactness". This is exactly what an SET offers, Musical accuracy. Think about it. Isn't that what everyone who owns an SET says? Just how much it sounds like real music! How can it sound closer to real music and be less accuarte? It CANNOT! Unfortunately, many people look at what the microphone produces. They then compare that signal to another electrical signal and claim how accurately one electronic signal is to the other electronic signal. But our ears are not microphones, they hear completely differently. If you don't believe that statement to be true, please explain why, in any setting, where the music and singers are NOT amplified electrically you'll never hear simbilance (that exaggerated sssss sound at the end of words) yet take that same performance, record it and listen to what the microphone heard and BAM simbilance is now introduced and heard. So either a) It wasn't there in the performance and was later introduced by the mic or b) our ears don't hear like mics do. Either way you look at it, I don't want it added to the music. This is a tough subject and could go on and on. However IMHO, SET's are more accurate than solid state in that they sound more like real music. Solid state is more accurate than an SET when you are comparing one electronic signal to another electronic signal. Just like the second meaning in the dictionary...
Tom Scata (thetubeguy1954)
That's my 2 cents worth.