Which is best digital or valve amplification?

Answer 1

A lot of sense talked in most of the answers but just one more point I would make. It does depend on what you want to amplify. If we're talking household for a music centre then digital is fine. If you want to hear a good blues rock guitar pumping some real volume with a touch of distortion listen to a good Vox valve amp. It is a personal choice but for me there's nothing like valve's.

Answer 2

Hi. When it comes to amplification one system is not better or worse than another system .They will both have their strengths an weaknesses. Both are trying to amplify a signal from the Source without degrading it. All Amplifiers degrade the signal in varying degrees.The very best Amplifiers simply do not degrade the original signal as much as cheaper equipment.

There really is no such thing as a "Digital"Amplifier.When the term"digital"is associated with a Power Amplifier,it is often a buzz word used by the seller that may refer to the design of the power supply and/or the design of the output stage.Some amplifiers use power supplies that are the "switching"type (sometimes referred to as a DC - DC converter.The term "digital" is also sometimes associated with amplifiers of the more exotic classes (Class G,H,S,and especially D )

Valve amplifiers do "sound different" to solid state amps.Tubes emphasize even order harmnics,while transistors emphasize odd order harmnics.The result is a smoother,more hi-fidelity sound.The ear is much more sensitive to odd order harmonic distortion than even.In the early days,tube amps would drive lower impedance loads as they had autotransformers at the output.They would develop a little more power and drive more speakers consequently In general,they had much larger capacitors which act as batteries,particularly for low frequencies. If the amp was driven too close to full power,while the power supply was trying to catch up on those low notes, the capacitors would supply the necessary power.

Tube gear is designed differently from transistorized gear because there is a fundamental difference between tubes and transistors. It's impedance.Tubes are high impedance devices (high voltage,low current) Transistors are low impedance devicies (low voltage,high current)

Tube amplifiers have the following components and characteristics :

Unregulated power supply.
Output and interstage transformers.
push-pull output stages.
Less internal negative feedback.

Transistor amplifiers have the following components and characteristics :

Regulated power supply.
No output or interstage transformers.
Non-push-pull output stages.
High levels of internal negative feedback.

It is very hard to find words to describe the sound of an amplifier ,so this is what we say,

Valve amps have a "warm" sound that is not strident. The treble is "sweet sounding" The midrange is "lucid" while the bass is bloomy .Valve amps have a deeper front to back soundstage.

Transistor amps are strident,shrill and cold sounding.They have a narrow front to back soundstage. [ In comparrson to a valve amp]

This analagy can be compared to the sound of CD (digital) and Vinyl (analogue)
CD sound is hard .strident,steely ,cold ,silence between notes ,sharp high frequency cut off,less reverberation time ,flatter sound stage.

Vinyl sound is warm, sweet, air around the instruments,extended high frequency range,deeper soundstage.more reverberation time,better musicality.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Digital hi-fi amps give an unnatural, processed sound.
Valves hi-fi amps give a warmer, more natural sound.
(Allegedly...)

There are actually very few truly 'digital' hi-fi amplifiers on the market. Most are actually common-or-garden solid state amps with a digital processor (hence the comment above). Genuine digital amps are very rare.

Valve amps, on the other hand, are making a resurgence. There are at least a dozen UK based firms making valve amps and many, many more worldwide. Oh, and valve amps don't distort easily - they may have done 40 years ago, but modern valve amps are crystal clear.

In the end, the "best" is what YOU prefer.

Digital amps -
Sonneteer Bronte
ES Labs DR-2005

Valve amps -
T&A V10
Ear/Yoshino V20
Graaf GM50
Pathos Logos
Audio Note SE

Answer 4

Digital gives precision amplification.
Valves are prone to distortion.
It really is a matter of taste, but bear in mind that some, if not most of the greatest music ever performed or recorded was done so with valve amplification.

Answer 5

Just go to a local hifi shop and listen (IF they have any DIGIATAL amps at all!)
You will be amazed by how much valve (and good transformer) amps are better than digital.
The advantage of digital is size and power requirements - not the sound quality.

Answer 6

That's a toughie as there are so few valve amps around these days. I used to believe that valve was the best, produced the richest sound, but these days without a direct omparison it's impossible to tell.

Answer 7

Well, it depends on your pallet. Do you prefer

the warm sound of tubes and vinyl? Or do you

crave the crisp (sometimes etched), extended

sound of CD and solid state? You'll get strong

arguments on both sides if you take a poll.