Quote:
Originally Posted by numb fingertips
From reading on here, I got the impression that tube amps are better or there is a preference for tube amps. Am I mistaken? What makes them better? How about a low watt tube amp for home?
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If you're playing them very loudly and want distortion (especially if you want power-amp distortion), the way in which tubes clip is generally more pleasing to the ear than the way transistors clip. Tubes when overdriven produce even-order harmonics that most people like the sound of more.
If you're playing clean at more reasonable volumes, some people think they hear or feel "something" from the tubes that they don't hear from solid-state. I'm in this camp, but just barely. In general, I think people recommend low-wattage tube amps for this more from herd instinct than from anything else.
Keep in mind that for anything over 1 Watt in a tube amp you need to get pretty darned loud to get any natural clipping from your tubes. I think it's comical when folks recommend a 15-18 watt amp for home use so you can drive the tubes. That's like recommending a Corvette to someone who only drives from the street to the garage. Yeah, the Vette is fantastic but a better tool for the job would be a golf cart.