Tube amps?

[Incidents Happen]

now- fully explain to me the difference between a tube amp and a solid state and why tube amps are considered better by alot of people- i asked this before but i didnt get much of a response.

Now i might be interested in getting a tube amp because somebody said that if i want a jerry-kind of sound that i should get a tube amp and get an envelope filter (auto-wah), so give me as much details regarding tube amps as you can. thanks guys

[friskynibbles]

tube amps rock. there's just something about the tone of 'em. also they SEEM louder because of a special way they distort. other than that, i can't tell you much.
there's an extensive bit on tube amps here:
http://www.geofex.com
-Daniel

[Incidents Happen]

yikes i read through it, seems like a lot of work

[river]

tube amps give ya a kindo compression ya cant get
with solid-state and the even harmonics are dominant
with tube while with solid-state ya hear the odds.

[river]

and oh yeah, more power per pound with solid
state. tube amps are heavy :)

[Bardsley]

Solid state replaced tube amplifiers in stereo systems because if they are made well they more accurately reproduce the sound that comes into the input, ie; the sound from the recording.
However, have you ever plugged your guitar into your stereo? Electric guitars just don't sound that great even with really good pickups (generally designed with a tube amp in mind in the first place), so accurate reproduction is not entirely what you are looking for. Tube amps colour the sound of a guitar by making the tone warmer, and giving a richness that is lacking in the sound coming out of the guitar. Solid State amps can sound really good, especially if you have an amp modelling board that helps coulour the sound so that the amp is just making the sound louder. However, electronics struggle to precisely mimic the sound of a tube amp in its sweet spot (generally at 6 or more on the volume control).
Jazz players often use solid state amps because they are not looking for that kind of overdriven rock sound, they simply want to reproduce the sound of a good archtop. Also, Solid States are often better at low volume situations. However, for that classic rock tone, you just can't go past a tube amp.

[trendkillah]

Tube circuits add even harmonics to the signal, which are perceived as "warm-sounding" to us.
Transistors add odd harmonics to the signal, which we perceive as "harsh-sounding".

That's why most people think that tubes amps sound better.

[PonyOne]

The Vox AC30 is the most wonderful guitar amp ever.

Just thought I'd throw that out.

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by PonyOne
The Vox AC30 is the most wonderful guitar amp ever.

Just thought I'd throw that out. If you're throwing it out, I offer to give it a good home! :D

[Incidents Happen]

how much does that cost?

[PonyOne]

Uhm I think they list at $1800, but you can find a banged up 70's one for like $900 probably. A good alternative is the Vox AC15; same thing, just smaller wattage. They run for about $800-$1000 new.

Vox is simply the best company for amps, in my opinion... who needs the insane gain circuitry on a Mesa or the prestige of a Marshall when you can have pure, warm, meaty tone? THEY'RE SO COOL THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE BUILT IN DISTORTION. You add all that crap yourself.

Vox also had some other cool amps that don't have the name the AC30 does and so cost less... an AC125 head from the 80's can be purchased for as low as $400 mint, and an authentic Vox cab is about the same, or you could get a Behringer or Marshall cab and run it through that.