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From: rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Vacuum tubes versus Solid State
Message-ID: <1085@hound.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Apr-85 12:17:36 EST
Article-I.D.: hound.1085
Posted: Fri Apr 19 12:17:36 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Apr-85 03:24:21 EST
References: <743@aluxe.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 18

The golden ears will tell you that tubes are best. The most expensive
amplifiers, by far, are tube type.  I wish it were so, because I still
understand tube design and never got equally familiar with those new
fangled transistor thing-a-ma-bobs.  However, I think you will find that
those who really do understand amplifier design will tell you A) It's
the design that counts, not so much the choice of active device, and B)
Other things being equal, transistors win by a mile (well, half a mile).
I guess it might depend, somewhat, on what type (application) you are
talking about. I assumed in the foregoing you were talking about so-called
power amplifiers. Preamplifiers might be another thing if the tube guys
ever got "flicker noise" licked, which I can't recall if they did. I 
think not. Again, its probably the design brilliance rather than the 
device choice (of course the same design cannot be used with any
device. I mean designs of equal brilliance, sincerity and aptness of
thought).
-- 

"It's the thought, if any, that counts!"  Dick Grantges  hound!rfg