Valves have microphony full stop the end...

[Loheswaran]

Dear All

I throw this question out on the basis of reading that the Allnic DHT phono stage is very sensitive to microphony.

I recall speaking to more than one solid state designer who has said that you just can't be rid of microphony, and as such valves are just too inherently flawed.

Now just about everyone has valves on this forum despite this and I get the point about the type of harmonic distortion that one gets from valves being of a benign nature. That said nothing changes microphony - damper rings don't entirely either

It's the reason why I have resisted buying a valve based amp

so what say you?

 

[cjfrbw]

Depends on whether you want to cure your brain or cure your ears. If you need to cure your brain more than your ears, stick with solid state.

 

[montesquieu]

Closed-minded individuals like this character tend to listen with their eyes, looking at oscilloscope traces and distortion readings, rather than training their ears and using them. There's a fair chance that he might actually be tone-deaf. (I can think of a few hifi companies in the 70s and 80s particularly who certainly seem to have hired tone-deaf engineers).

Although to paraphrase your statement, what we are discussing here is more or less: 'solid state amp designer says valves are rubbish'. Would you really have expected him to express the opposite sentiment?

 

[DaveC]

Hahaha... it's a feature, not a defect.

At least to a degree, some tubes are too microphonic.

 

[ack]

Just tap a tube in a phono stage with your finger nail - and listen to all that beautiful THUMP. Perhaps not all tube phono stages suffer from it, but the few ones I tried do.

 

[DaveC]

Just tap a tube in a phono stage with your finger nail - and listen to all that beautiful THUMP. Perhaps not all tube phono stages suffer from it, but the few ones I tried do.

Yes, all tube phono stages benefit from it.

 

[ack]

Yes, all tube phono stages benefit from it.

I know, I was being polite

 

[christoph]

Just tap a tube in a phono stage with your finger nail - and listen to all that beautiful THUMP. Perhaps not all tube phono stages suffer from it, but the few ones I tried do.

You could also tap on your tone arm and listen to a beautiful THUMP

 

[ack]

You could also tap on your tone arm and listen to a beautiful THUMP

Yes, and on some people's empty heads as well, who do not understand electronics.

 

[christoph]

Yes, and on some people's empty heads as well, who do not understand electronics.

But that you would not hear over your speakers

 

[jeff1225]

Just tap a tube in a phono stage with your finger nail - and listen to all that beautiful THUMP. Perhaps not all tube phono stages suffer from it, but the few ones I tried do.

what is the purpose of taping on a phono tube? What are you trying to demonstrate? When I tap on my turntable it makes noise, but does it matter?

 

[ack]

what is the purpose of taping on a phono tube? What are you trying to demonstrate? When I tap on my turntable it makes noise, but does it matter?

The thread is about microphonics of TUBES. Hard to understand, I know.

 

[DaveC]

Some companies even make stuff to put on the tubes to adjust the characteristics of the microphony to their liking.

 

[ack]

Indeed

 

[howiebrou]

I love tube’s microphony. In fact I use it as my ringtone.

 

[Bodhi]

I've heard the APL Hifi DSD-MR tube hybrid dac many times & it is dead quiet and utterly natural sounding. So I think it depends on the circuit design and price point you're talking about. That said, yes I'd expect a full tube amp/dac to display more tube virtues than a hybrid design.

 

[jeff1225]

The thread is about microphonics of TUBES. Hard to understand, I know.

ACK,
I asked you a simple question. You're childish and rude comment only conveys that you realize that taping on a tube is asinine.

Thank you for continuing to add so much value to this forum.

 

[ack]

ACK,
I asked you a simple question. You're childish and rude comment only conveys that you realize that taping on a tube is asinine.

Thank you for continuing to add so much value to this forum.

First of all, that would be "Your" not "You're"; then, "taping" should be "tapping" - that aside, I do realize it can be hard to understand what the tapping experiment conveys. As to that "simple" question of yours, you can probably guess what I think of it. Enjoy the weekend.

 

[MPS]

I wouldn't worry about it if everything sounds good or even better. There are technical solutions trying to reduce this inborn property of tube but suppose the whole issue is so marginal (in most of the cases) that why bother. However I would recommend selecting out individual tubes which have excess microphony, some suppliers can do that if required.

 

[christoph]

ACK,
I asked you a simple question. You're childish and rude comment only conveys that you realize that taping on a tube is asinine.

Thank you for continuing to add so much value to this forum.

I wanted to reply to ACK's rude answer myself but then I didn't have a good internet connection while on holidays. And now after reading his reaction to your posting, I'm glad I didn't waste time or data roaming for that person. Just not worth it