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Post subject: tube vs. transistor amps
Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:09 pm
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ok what is the differences between tube and transistor amps?

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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:58 pm
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A tube amp gives a warm distortion while a transistor amp can mimic that, it usually growls at you unless you hook it up to a decent distortion/fuzz pedal.

I use a Supra Distortion Pedal by DOD on my Crate and it overdrives it enough to give you a warm distortion instead of the grunge growl that it comes with.

It depends what you want to achieve.


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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:26 pm
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If you get a nice solid state, then you can get really nice clean tones, and even distortion sounds good for classic rock. I've heard that if you play metal, that you def. want a tube amp, but seeing as I don't I stick with my Marshall half stack (which happens to be solid state) :D

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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:07 pm
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Diamond Darrel made his name using solidstate.

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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:40 pm
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As I've always understood it (which may not be saying much, I'll admit), valve amps emphasise the second- and third-series harmonics when they're overdriven. It's part of the reason a power chord sounds good -- all those warm harmonics are combining with the fifth interval you're actually playing.

Transistors on their own suppress even harmonics and emphasise some of the more dissonant ones like the fifth- and seventh-series. This produces a harsher, more brittle sound, particularly on the attack. When played clean, transistors provide a more neutral foundation for your clean sound.

That's not to say there's anything "wrong" with transistor amps...but if you want to add some of the warmth and mid-range punch associated with tubes you may need a little help from your effects...


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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:08 pm
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Many people avoid transistor amps based on nothing more than what they heard from a friend or a friend of a friend, etc.

Early transistor amps weren't too good, they had a lot of problems.
These were worked out over time, and there are a lot of good transistor amps out there.

A good transistor amp is better than a poor tube amp--and a good tube amp is better than a poor transistor amp.

Try both, see what you like.

Overall tube amps tend to be heavier & more expensive than a similar size & wattage transistor amp.

I've mostly used transistor amps over the years, and haven't suffered for it. Of course if you can afford it you could buy both, but I wouldn't skimp on one so you can get two.

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Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:13 pm
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Tube amps are heavier :?:
My Traynor transistor amp & cab is over 60 pounds :)

I do have both, and the transistors driven unit was just fine when I was into acid rock/metal stuff. The sound is sterile, I guess what you would call clean.
It also worked OK for acoustic folk.

Then I found the blues, and made the switch to tube amps.
Only time I use a solid state amp now is for practice, as the Roland cube has a headphone out jack.

Both types of amp work well if they are made well, you need to match them to the type of music you want to make.

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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:12 pm
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I actually had both, an 80's 30w Fender Champ, and a generic transistor amp with enough features to make me happy.
The floor was wooden, which gave it a different, club-like dimension.
The comparison confirmed two things;
1. tubes are very much alive whether clean or overdrive.
2. one amp cost $30 and the other, the tube, $200b and only because I was lucky enough to find it...
So, if you absolutely have to have that sound, the pricetag is hefty...


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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:30 pm
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At low volumes, there is a difference in the "Warmth" of the sound, but honestly, for me, at high volumes, I don't think it really matters as much, or I can't really tell a difference.

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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:38 pm
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Theres something about what a TUBE does to your sound that is just indescriptible .... I don't have a full-tube amp but I do have hybrid amps and compared to solid state amps I totally dig the tubes !! :)


Last edited by Synkronized on Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:13 pm
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nikininja wrote:
Diamond Darrel made his name using solidstate.



You mean Dimebag Darrel?

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Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:02 pm
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hah Mr. Abbott had a couple nicknames. diamond first, dimebag later.

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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:35 am
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BB King did quite all right with a Lab Series amp--it's a transistor amp.


Tube amps tend to be heavier.
That doesn't mean transistor are never heavy, but tube amps of the same size do tend to be heavier.

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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:57 am
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I think several people are trying to say the same thing here.

It doesn't matter if it is transistor or tube.
If it is cheaply made it will sound like crap, if it is well made it will sound good.

The two types will sound different. It depends what sound you are after.
Tube is described as an organic sound, solid state is clinical and with modeling emulation try's to come up with tube sounds. Some of the newer modeling amps do manage to come up with reasonable facsimiles of the amps they are trying to emulate.

Also if you are running a PA all your sound that is miked into it is passing through solid state amp and mixing boards..

The solid state Vs tube I suspect is another one of the religious topics, like the Strat vs Tele or LesPaul. Some like one, some the other, neither will ever convince the other.
Then of course you have the fence sitters who use both :D

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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:19 am
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There area a bazillion threads about this. Basically this is a tone/economic choice some people make.

I've played tons of them all, and prefer not just the tone, but the "feel" of a tube amp. The way it responds to your hands cannot be replicated in solid state - at least none of the many I've played. And for the SS that are close, the harmonics are way harsh sounding.

I record a lot of quick demos using a line 6 pod xt. Although I've tweaked it to sound pretty good, I can still hear the lack of "warmth" in the tone, and I don't mean anything you can EQ. It's just a cold, lifeless version of a tube sound to me. Live? There is no other choice for me than a good all tube amp.


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