[geeks] What's old is new again...

[wa2egp at att.net]

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Jochen Kunz <jkunz at unixag-kl.fh-kl.de>
>
> On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:06:35 +0300
> "Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm at mendelson.com> wrote:
> 
> > All tube amps have distortion, it's inherent in their design.
> AFAIK most tube designs don't use feedback. So they produce distortions.
> Good solid state amplifiers are designed like an operational amplifier.
> I.e. they use a very "tight" feedback that makes them _very_ linear.
> --
> 
> 
> tsch|_,
>        Jochen

Anything like that is out of the reach of the public.  Even high end audio stuff has significant distortion.  I used to do "clinics" in audio stores and I never saw a single unit meet its specs, even new, out-of-the-box.  Those specs should read "up to".  Many old tube designs did use feedback when needed.  Because of circuit design, tube amps usually produced even harmonic distortion and transistor units tended to produce odd harmonic distortion.  Tube amps sounded "warmer", transistor amps sounded "tinny" (whatever the hell that means).  Some people perfer tube audio amplifiers.  I've got a tin ear, I can't tell the difference. :)

Bob