Tube vs Solid state explained

[creatip123]

While we're on this topic, do you feel that SS tube distortions can be replicated with SS and EQ/plugins/etc?

 

Something like this:

 

- http://www.sjeng.org/foobar2000.html

- http://skipyrich.com/wiki/Foobar2000:Tube_Sound

[BoredErica]

Something like this:

 

- http://www.sjeng.org/foobar2000.html

- http://skipyrich.com/wiki/Foobar2000:Tube_Sound

I know these plugins exist, and I believe with proper calibration SS can mimic a tube, but it's a daunting task... Tubes don't all sound the same most likely and a single canned "tube mode" is not going to cut it. And not only just "tubifying" your sound by adding such distortions, also just flat out EQ changes as well.

 

This is getting weird Creatip, I should be the one posting what you did and you should be the one posting this post...

[creatip123]

I know these plugins exist, and I believe with proper calibration SS can mimic a tube, but it's a daunting task... Tubes don't all sound the same most likely and a single canned "tube mode" is not going to cut it. And not only just "tubifying" your sound by adding such distortions, also just flat out EQ changes as well.

 

This is getting weird Creatip, I should be the one posting what you did and you should be the one posting this post...

 

It's actually the same though. Not the plugin, but the application of the hardware.

 

One of the advantage of tubes is the simple way to swap different tubes to get different sound/colors. With solid state, this is also achievable by swapping op-amp chips, I think. It's just not as popular as swapping tubes, because swapping tubes is much easier. Basically if you can plug-unplug a power plug, you can swap tubes. Well, most of them anyway, there are bookshelf tube amps that put the tubes within the casing. With op-amp chips, you gotta find/order the chips (which I think is harder to find, because they're mostly sold in bulk), open the casing, go inside the internals, etc. 

 

Other than that, the differences are essentially one being an analog device, the other, digital. i.e. tubes need warm up time, op-amps don't. Tubes got a lifespan, op-amps basically last forever. And if what Bob said above is true, tubes' distortion might be desirable, while op-amps' don't (just clippings anyway)

[BoredErica]

It's actually the same though. Not the plugin, but the application of the hardware.

 

One of the advantage of tubes is the simple way to swap different tubes to get different sound/colors. With solid state, this is also achievable by swapping op-amp chips, I think. It's just not as popular as swapping tubes, because swapping tubes is much easier. Basically if you can plug-unplug a power plug, you can swap tubes. Well, most of them anyway, there are bookshelf tube amps that put the tubes within the casing. With op-amp chips, you gotta find/order the chips (which I think is harder to find, because they're mostly sold in bulk), open the casing, go inside the internals, etc. 

 

Other than that, the differences are essentially one being an analog device, the other, digital. i.e. tubes need warm up time, op-amps don't. Tubes got a lifespan, op-amps basically last forever. And if what Bob said above is true, tubes' distortion might be desirable, while op-amps' don't (just clippings anyway)

I was thinking along the lines of taking a transparent dac/amp and then applying additional plugins/EQ to mimic the effect of a tube amp without any of the problems a tube might have. Even if having a different profile for each tube sound is impractical, maybe  a generic tube plugin with the right EQ would give somebody a tube sound while maintaining flexibility to remove the tube sound as needed.

[creatip123]

I was thinking along the lines of taking a transparent dac/amp and then applying additional plugins/EQ to mimic the effect of a tube amp without any of the problems a tube might have. Even if having a different profile for each tube sound is impractical, maybe  a generic tube plugin with the right EQ would give somebody a tube sound while maintaining flexibility to remove the tube sound as needed.

 

It's quite possible.

 

From my experience, and I'm stereotyping, tubes tend to have less soundstage, more 'in your face' sounds, especially vocals, while SS is the opposite. This is not talking about frequency response, yet, just the  sense of space. 

 

Then on the frequency response, tubes tend to tilt to the warmer side. This of course can be achieved with EQ, but perhaps it need lots-of-bands EQ, to really fine tune the bands you want, without effecting the other bands you don't want. 

 

Aside from EQ, I found that capacitors too play a role in this. I found Elna Silmic II got that 'in your face' effect, along with a slight warmer FR. Is it colored? Yeah, of course. 

 

As for switching, with caps, I'm thinking something like this might work:

 

[BoredErica]

It's quite possible.

 

From my experience, and I'm stereotyping, tubes tend to have less soundstage, more 'in your face' sounds, especially vocals, while SS is the opposite. This is not talking about frequency response, yet, just the  sense of space. 

 

Then on the frequency response, tubes tend to tilt to the warmer side. This of course can be achieved with EQ, but perhaps it need lots-of-bands EQ, to really fine tune the bands you want, without effecting the other bands you don't want. 

 

Aside from EQ, I found that capacitors too play a role in this. I found Elna Silmic II got that 'in your face' effect, along with a slight warmer FR. Is it colored? Yeah, of course. 

 

As for switching, with caps, I'm thinking something like this might work:

Soundstage could be affected by frequency response. I'm not totally sold on the idea of caps changing sound like tube rolling yet. But anyways, it's interesting how little people care about tube plugins and anybody looking for EQ always jump straight into tube amps, never considering EQ, EQ w/ tube plugins, etc as an option. I can see somebody liking a plugin over the real thing.

As for having many bands I think a parametric EQ would be like having a bazillion bands.