Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Is the affect of tubes in gear at all comparable to the affect of tubes in amps???

chipss36 · 17th August 2011

In a word? no...not even close...

gonna have to disagree with people saying negative feedback is a factor defining "tube tone"

many tube amps have it, any amp with a presence or brilliance knob on it has variable form of negative feedback.
and I would say more have it than not.

My take

power tube saturation, output transformer saturation, and to a lesser degree- preamp tube saturation.(IMHO preamp tube over the top by themselves sound like ass)
the way a tube itself distorts ..vs. silicon very easy to see on an
o-scope..
it takes all the above and some major voltages as well..
There is much more to this, but
To me there are a few of the major factors in "tube sound"

Negative feedback, single ended -a/b triode/pentode switches...ect change the tone yes..
Just as tone controls would but do not define "tube sound" another tone factor..is
the speakers and how it distorts and can make a big change in the voicing of a tube amp, these type speakers are designed much different than most speakers in that distortion is a tuning factor.

Tube mics tube pres, tube boxes, with very few exceptions now a days are mostly gimmicks, and the good stuff is priced like it.

Tube tone plug ins have come a long way though.

not ment to offend anyone just how I see it.

17th August 2011	#9
chipss36 Gear Head Joined: Aug 2011 Location: church point la Posts: 63	the 7th post In a word? no...not even close... gonna have to disagree with people saying negative feedback is a factor defining "tube tone" many tube amps have it, any amp with a presence or brilliance knob on it has variable form of negative feedback. and I would say more have it than not. My take power tube saturation, output transformer saturation, and to a lesser degree- preamp tube saturation.(IMHO preamp tube over the top by themselves sound like ass) the way a tube itself distorts ..vs. silicon very easy to see on an o-scope.. it takes all the above and some major voltages as well.. There is much more to this, but To me there are a few of the major factors in "tube sound" Negative feedback, single ended -a/b triode/pentode switches...ect change the tone yes.. Just as tone controls would but do not define "tube sound" another tone factor..is the speakers and how it distorts and can make a big change in the voicing of a tube amp, these type speakers are designed much different than most speakers in that distortion is a tuning factor. Tube mics tube pres, tube boxes, with very few exceptions now a days are mostly gimmicks, and the good stuff is priced like it. Tube tone plug ins have come a long way though. not ment to offend anyone just how I see it.