Are Tube amps Better than Solid State?

Are Tube amps Better than Solid State?

Over the decades I have heard many a tube amp. Over the decades I have also heard many a solid state amp. I currently own a solid state amp but I admit, tube amps have their charms and as well as their drawbacks. I can say the same for solid state. So which is better? Which type of amp delivers the sounds you crave, the chills on your arms and the immersion that takes you within the music?

In the past I would have said “a tube amp” but today it is not so cut and dry.

CLASS of SOUND Matters

With tube and solid state amps we have varying levels of amp power. The most seen and used of course is Class A, Class A/B and Class D. These type of amps are everywhere with Class A usually being the gold standard for many. Which type of amp you seek will depend on the type of sound you seek, as well as the speakers you own. As we know, speakers can range from analytical to warm and some speakers thrive with tubes and others solid state. Some sound sublime with either.

So what are the differences in sound between Class A, A/B and D?

Class A

Let’s start with Class A pros. This type of amp will bring a sound that is tipped up a little in the treble but yet at the same time, bring some body and heft to the bass. The midrange is usually of the open, 3D snd clear type bringing artists to the room with you in such a beautiful way. The details will all be here, nothing is left hidden and some details may be brought forward moreso than other types of amp. Class A is usually seen in special amps of the more pricey variety. Recently I reviewed the Cayin 805A tube amp which is a Class A Single Ended triode amp. These kinds of amps are almost always unreal in sound with an even more holographic presentation but the tube replacement costs can get expensive when needed. This amp sounded gorgeous but reminded me of the cons of this type of amp (Class A, S.E.T., Tube). The heat and the cost to run.

Cons of Class A: These amps sound lovely and can drive most speakers but at the end of the day these will draw much more power from your wall than other types of amps. When I ran a pair of Pass Labs XA60.8 mono amps my power bill did go up to the tune of an extra $30 a month, but I listen often. These amps also get hot and the Cayin can get red hot with those 805 tubes. When I had the Line Magnetic 219ia, it heated my small 12X13 room in winter when I lived in Arizona, where we have warm winters as is. If you are ok with an added cost of electricity, which is already out of control these days in the USA as well as heat then a Class A amplifier is unlikely to disappoint. One thing, most Class A designs are lower power and it is normal to see Class A amps that run from 3 watts per Chanel to around 50. The higher you go in power output, the more you will spend.

Class A/B

Class A/B amps are the most common and what most in HiFi purchase. This type of amp runs just ever so slightly warm so will never heat you room and then are also more affordable to run as they do not suck power from the wall like a Class A. In regards to sound quality, it’s quite different from Class A. Class A/B will be warmer, beefier and not as open or detailed as a Class A design. Details are heard and here but not as exposed or lit up as a good Class A Amp. Class A/B is not as an exciting of a listen but still can be excellent with body, balls, drive and mass power. A recent Class A/B amp I reviewed was the Cayin SOUL 170i. I love this amp and declared it to be my fave tube amp of all time. It’s a looker and silent as well. Most Class A SET amps I have had here had some sort of low level hum or buzz going on but the SOUL was quiet.

So Class A/B can run silent, just ever so0 slightly warm and will cost less to operate. The sound is smooth, big, bold but loses out on all out transparency from Class A or a S.E.T. type of amp. I have heard Class A/B Sollid State and tube amps and here, there is not a huge difference between them. Most Class A/B tube amps I have heard sound a lot like Class A/B solid state amps I have heard. That ‘Tube Magic” we hear about? That usually comes in the form of Class A Single Ended Triode. Those amps bring the magic in grimace proportions.

At the end of the day Class A/B is so popular the cons are not really here but the sound is quite different from Class A and Class D, which I will speak on next.

Class D

Class D is the newest kid on the audio block even though these amps have been around for decade now. When they started they sounded awful. The first Class D I heard was sterile, flat, harsh. Today Class D has come a long long way and many use the new “Gan” technology that did smooth the sound quite a bit vs the old school early Class D. Many in audio refuse to go Class D due to how awful they sounded back in the day. Today we still can buy Class D amps that sound rough, flat and not so hot but these amps usually cost $100-$200 on Amazon. I have one here now that is decent but nothing I could listen to for hours on end.

Fear not my friends, Class D is so good today my main reference amp, the best I have ever heard in my 40 years of audio is a Class D powerhouse. This integrated amp is the Devialet Astra and it has zero trace of that old Class D sound. It’s big, bold, powerful, sweet, holographic, amazing bass and has some slight warmth in the midrange. For me, nothing has bested in in sound, in silence, in features and execution. It’s expensive, yes, but well worth it if you are a hardcore music lover who wants something that really can be called “the best”. I usually do not feel any item can be the best as the best doesn’t exist for all of us. For me and my tastes, this Class D Astra is “my best”.

Other amps I loved that were Class D? Those from AGD which blend artistry and craftsmanship with gorgeous sound. Those AGD amps are a bit leaner than the Astra but have a smoothness and shine about the sound that drew me in night after night. I miss my old AGD Duets and if I were loaded with cash they would have never left me. Just beautiful amps though again, pricey at over $11k for a set of amps. You will then need a preamp.

I do not buy that “GAN” amps are better than today’s standard Class D as again, the Astra is not a GAN amp but bests all GAN I have heard. Other amps that are more affordable Class D that sound lovely? HiFi Rose makes a couple if integrated amps using GaN Class D that are smooth, detailed and sound gorgeous. They lose out to the big money models in all out immersion and depth but are still fantastic and compete easily with any Class A/b amp.

Class D runs cool as a cucumber and is the most efficient as well. So they will not boost your electric bill. They are all surgically silent without hum or buzz from big transformers which are old school now. These Class D amps offer all of the good things like this and now bring sound that is not as warm as Class A/B and not as wide open as Class A but I think Class D is the way of the future in Audio. Within a year or two we will see Class D integrated amps that look and sound like yesterdays $20k amps yet they will cost us $2-$5k. A big win for Class D is coming. Oh, Class D is only available in Solid State amps as tube amps are analog, Class D is digital.

Bottom Line, Tubes or Solid State?

I think tubes are cool, I love a good tube integrated amp. Especially the Class A Single Ended Triode variety. With that said, these amps are limited as they have lower power output, have high cost of tube replacement and can get hot, noisy and cost a fortune to run. I am a solid state guy these days and going forward into the future. I almost went back to tubes with that SOUL 170i but I just couldn’t imaging being without my Class D Astra as it gives up nothing to the tubes besides a little of that immediacy of Class A.

For me, Solid State is my preference due to the things I mentioned and I never feel like I am compromising. Tube amp tech is old and the truth is that almost all tube amps today use tech from the 70’s. Some tube amps today, mostly the Class A/B variety mostly (but there are exceptions like the SOUL) sound like a Class A/B solid state amp. Also, I have had many tubes blow in my lifetime and many times I had no spares. So I was without an amp until I found and sent big bucks on new tubes. There there is the NOS tube rabbit hole which really never led to any real satisfaction. It seemed more about the hunt than the final result. Tube amps are cool, and can sound magical but for me it’s solid state and today, I choose Class D as the Astra is the finest amount I have ever heard and it’s not even close.

One other Class D amp I love and still own. A Heaven 11 Billie MKIII which uses a Class D solid state amp mated to a tube preamp. This is a fantastic option for those who want to spend less ($3k or so) and get a killer amp that looks gorgeous and sounds fantastic. It’s like a scaled down Astra, without the streamer function and all out sound quality but even so, it’s around $17k less expensive and it’s awesome. Class D for the win, again.

See my Class D Astra Review HERE

See my Class A/B SOUL Review HERE

See my Class A S.E.T. 805A Review HERE

See my Hybrid Heaven 11 Billie MKIII Review HERE