Today we will weigh in on the long-standing question of which sounds better, tubes or solid-state?
These different technologies for amplifying a signal have certain “stereotype” sounds:
- Tubes are thought to be warm and smooth, and able to present a certain kind of 3-D or holographic “magic” (on the good side) but are also thought to be limited in bass and treble extension, a bit compressed, and lacking in ultimate detail (on the bad side). As you’ll see below, these stereotypes are not valid anymore, and are really just relics of the past, having to do with old fashioned tube circuit designs rather than tubes themselves.
- Solid-state preamps and amps are thought to be accurate and detailed, and able to deliver full bass depth, treble extension, dynamics and detail (on the good side) but can be grey, sterile, and perhaps more flat and less holographic, and sometimes “too sharp” or fatiguing (on the bad side). Again, these are in fact properties of solid state circuit design, not transistors.
Because Bob Backert uses tubes in his designs, you might expect us to come down firmly in favor of tube designs. However, we believe that both tube and solid-state designs can produce engaging, accurate, thrilling musical experiences.
But My Friends Say That Tubes Always Sound “Tubey”… How Can They Ever Deliver The Full Truth? Actually, the stereotypical “tubey sound” is not really a property of tubes. It is a property of old tube amplification circuit designs, from the 1950s and even earlier, which are still commonly used today. Bob Backert does not use this older type of design. As you may have heard, although we use tubes, our circuit designs do not have that old fashioned covered-in-maple-syrup, super warm sound. Our designs are modern creations that use “outside the box” thinking. Although some of the best qualities of tube or solid-state sound may be present, our preamps primarily produce the sound of real music that is happening right now. This is one of the main things we hope you’ll examine as you think about how to buy your next preamp — whether it produces music that feels like a performance is “happening right now” in your room.
OK, But How Can Solid State Ever Produce That Holographic Sound? We also believe that stereotypical solid-state sound is a result of, you guessed it, out-of-date and ho-hum circuit designs. Solid-state amps and preamps can absolutely sound engaging, vibrant, and either warm, cold, or neutral, depending on the design. They can also provide a bit of that holographic magic. Unfortunately, these excellent-sounding solid-state designs tend to be very expensive, but we are optimistic that the best, most engaging solid-state sound will make its way into more affordable products in the coming years.
If you have any questions about tube preamps, solid-state preamps, or anything else in your stereo, feel free to give us a call or
write us at: c o n s u l t @ b a c k e r t l a b s . c o m
