is it the tubes that make the sound?

[smythology]

I'm a devout classicist and I've been reading up a bit on tubes. I'm wondering if it's truly the tubes that gives the amp ergo the instrument it's sound/character.

Also, why do some amps have more tubes in the back than others.

 

[jake-owa]

The tubes will impart their character on the sound of whatever they amplify. This is because the tubes have a particular shaped slew rate and therefore change the amplified note's attack. There are many other factors to sound character. The ideal amplification for monitoring would be transparent while tubes for mics and preamps vary greatly in sonic signature. People use terms like color and warmth to denote different characteristics of tube sound.
Some amps use different tube configurations for distortion which is basicaly two or more gain stages interfering with or overdriving each other. I'm sure there is more to it than that but that is a simple answer.

 

[Dom Franco]

Hmmm I wonder?

I have heard that tubes impart a color to the sound due to the particular harmonic frequencies that we humans perceive as "PLEASING TO THE EAR." The sound is not actually transparent but it is "altered" in a way that we accept as "sounding better."

I wonder If we had solid state and digital sound recording before tubes were ever invented, If we would have learned to love the "Sterile, harshness and brittle sounds" of digital as opposed to analog warmth?

Hmmmm?

Dom

 

[regebro]

Tubes clip more slowly than transistors do, and tube distortion therefore is generally more "pleasing to the ear" as is generates less dense overtone spectrum. This however, is really something that is only valid for guitar amps. Other tube gear should not distort at all. If you, for example, see a mic preamp that claims the create distortion that is pleasing to the ear so,eway or another: Don't buy it! Mic preamps should not introduce any distortion whatsoever, period, tube or no tube. (Unless of course, you want distortion as an effect. But then that should be an option).

 

[gyraf]

Combinations

In my opinion, the tubes contribute to the overall sound in conjunction with the transformers that is needed to interface to these glowing wonders.

We've done lots of experiments with transformerless tube circuits, and found that a lot of the "sound" we like is in the combi of tubes AND transformers. One without the other simply won't do.

IMHO, that is.

Jakob Erland
Gyraf Audio