Transistors vs valves

[Light Dependant Resistor]

What I find sometimes on forums is that people only read what the want to read. To any man and his dog, sticking two amplifiers of exactly the same spec together, should show that the sound is the exactly the same.

That's called quality control.

Any company throwing out identical amplifiers, that sound different to the exact same model next to it, is going to be in trouble. Hence my utter reluctance to chase a fabled "when you get a good one....." Decca cartridge etc.

My point was, when amplifiers get to a certain point in quality, it's almost impossible to say whether it's a valve amp or a SS amp. That's been my experience, and that's what I was trying to express but as I said, either it wasn't read that way or the point didn't convey.

If you HAVEN'T heard that first hand, you need to get out and have a listen to some amplifiers.

I still haven't looked up the spec of Nick Gorham's MFA Monoblocks. I don't know what the build is and I couldn't tell from listening to them. Anthony TD does amplifiers that reportedly do the same, as does my Krell.

The characteristics of valves or SS are what they are, when you get to that level of build quality, you wouldn't be able to tell from listening.

With a better attenuator the differences may become apparent

[Bigman80]

With a better attenuator the differences may become apparent

Lol, I'm glad you stick a smiley on the end of that

[Beobloke]

In people's opinion what transistor amp comes closest to sounding like a single ended triode amp. Output watts can be considered irrelevant.

A broken one...

[Pharos]

By definition, if amplifiers are perfect, regardless of the technologies used, they will sound the same.
But of course nothing is perfect, and each has its own idiosyncrasies, as do digital amps.

AFAICS valve amps get little better than 0.1% disortion at best, and have highish output impedances, but SS amps are considerqbly better, and there is one supreme example, the Benchmark which is from memory 0.00001%, and has a low O/P Z.

It is probably true that the best examples of all are under DB tests conditions indistinguishable IMO

[Macca]

A broken one...

LOL

There's no 'valve' sound as valve amps can sound very different from each other, always makes me laugh when I see people asking 'should I move to valves' as though it was a sensible question. A good amplifier is a good amplifier regardless of what amplifying devices it uses, as Ollie says, once it is good enough then you won't be able to tell, or care, if it is valve or solid state.

But the question was specifically about single ended triode amps - I don't think there are any commercially available solid state amps that will mimic a SET amp, if there are they have passed me by. But it should be possible to make one, only a question of copying the distortion characteristics.

I had an amp designer come to my house once, I had some music on. He asked me what the amp was; he'd never heard of the make. Then he asks what valves it used. Told him it was solid state so he raised an eyebrow. 'Must be Class A then?' - Nope, guess again.

As usual with hi-fi most of it is fantasy, preconceived notions and wishful thinking.

[struth]

An amp can pretty much be what the maker deems it to be, either through design or on occasion incompetence .. Not sure i would go down the road of they will all sound the same if made properly, but it can be the case. Much depends on the design.
I might add a good amp doesn't NEED to be expensive, just well made, and used in the right system

[anthonyTD]

A broken one...

[Gazjam]

I think the lesser examples of each amp type have given rise to the stereotypes over the years, that and bad word of mouth and ill-informed opinion.
Both can sound great and just like music, not necessarily this type of sound or that.

Me?
I like hybrid amps:
SET power amp with solid state regulation, and a solid state pre with a valve input stage.

Best of both!

[Barry]

LOL

There's no 'valve' sound as valve amps can sound very different from each other, always makes me laugh when I see people asking 'should I move to valves' as though it was a sensible question. A good amplifier is a good amplifier regardless of what amplifying devices it uses, as Ollie says, once it is good enough then you won't be able to tell, or care, if it is valve or solid state.

But the question was specifically about single ended triode amps - I don't think there are any commercially available solid state amps that will mimic a SET amp, if there are they have passed me by. But it should be possible to make one, only a question of copying the distortion characteristics.

I had an amp designer come to my house once, I had some music on. He asked me what the amp was; he'd never heard of the make. Then he asks what valves it used. Told him it was solid state so he raised an eyebrow. 'Must be Class A then?' - Nope, guess again.

As usual with hi-fi most of it is fantasy, preconceived notions and wishful thinking.

Didn't Colin Wonfor (of this parish) sell SECA (Single Ended Class A) solid state amps?

[struth]

Didn't Colin Wonfor (of this parish) sell SECA (Single Ended Class A) solid state amps?

certainly made kits, dunno if he sold them ready made