jbird said:
OK, I'm at a loss here as to your beliefs in the differences between tubes, so here's a little snippet I've quoted.
"There are misguided preconceptions on how tubes like say EL34's and 6l6's supposedly 'sound'. Different tubes do exhibit different characteristics, of course, but there is a lot more to amplifier performance and behavior than power tube selection. Being able to understand how each part will react in a given circuit enables [the designer] to predict how that amplifier will perform with whichever tube or other component is selected. It gives [the designer] the freedom and flexibility to design amplifiers that match [they're] vision of how the amplifier design should behave."
And where is my choice of EL34's & 6L6's? I don't get the poll? The then part?
That quote summarizes my beliefs pretty well. A lot of people talk about how they want to run their amps with such and such a tube so it will somehow transform it into something it's not. It doesn't work that way.
The poll is to see
A - if people will put their money where their mouths are - I can see that's already not happening - or at least admit that they don't hear enough of a difference to make a call.
2 - if we can get people to stop asking questions like, "Which EL84 amp for me?" or posting about the night and day differences in their amps when they swapped from one output tube type to another since like you quoted, it's only one part of the equation. I've heard as much difference between EL34s and 6L6s as I've heard between 6L6s and 6L6s on different occasions. Of course, I know, that's crazy, but it's kinda like someone who hangs out with Budda trying to get all the other religions to cease and desist. I'm sure it won't ever happen, but I'll do my part.
d - how many of us have the same idea about the differences using different output tubes in the same amp make. Of course, that makes some wild assimptions, like - people have a preconception about the difference, or can hear the difference and aren't just randomly guessing instead of picking the third option if they don't know. Perhaps I should have used a 4th - I hear a difference but don't know what it means" category.
I also have to hope that people actually read and listen, and don't just select one of the first 2 options based on the fact that they think this is a "which do you prefer" poll.
Please don't confuse this whole thing as a "If you don't hear the difference, you suck" kinda thing. Far from it. Just be open enough to listen and be honest with us and yourself. You're not dumb if you don't know the difference, and not only that, you may have never listened for it. Here's a no **** chance to hear it - at least for this amp. There may be other amps that have different results. Guess what, I HAVEN'T HEARD ALL OF THEM. But I have heard a few, and the differences in all of them were very subtle in at least the RK, the Randall MTS rack system, My Blue ANgel(EL84s and 6V6s(or 6L6s)), and my Budda Dual Stage 30 (EL84s and 6L6s)
As for combining the 2, I suppose a fair test could be done if I used hundred watt settings, but I used 50 watts only. More power alone can have different effects on tone from speaker distortion to Fletcher Munson effects, so I didn't bother using different wattages.
As for your last question, "The then part?" I'm just confused. What do you mean?
