Tube pre output stages and transient response...

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dufo

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
174
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I have heard talk that having a output TX on a tube pre will smear the high end and affect transient response. These people advocate class A SS output stages to combat this.

Im very curious as to the very knowledgable people here think.

I havent noticed my G9 doing this, but it would be a very subtle thing I imagine?

opinions ?
 
"Blah, blah, blah", to quote the various manufacturers. The purveyor of a given technology virtually always has to have a rationale for inducing people to buy and the favorite one is to disparage the cherished technologies of others. This is a great example of such behavoir.

Listen, then judge. I did and now I design with coupling transformers where they are useful. Twenty years ago I would never have imagined such foolishness. :wink:
 
Transformers are not perfect. They will affect the sound to a certain degree. To what degree is dependent on the brand and model.
With tubes you need a way to get the high impedance down to 600. You will also be happier if your output is galvanically isolated from the rest of the world.

Listening is the best way to hear the difference between circuits. You can slap a cap on the output and go direct into a headphone amp for a listen. Impedance mismatch can be a problem, depending on the output tube and circuit. Some folks used the cap off the cathode for lower impedance.

Try and see. Five minutes of solder time vs hours of verbage from armchair quarterbacks like me. More DIY time for us also. But don't be stingy. Report your findings here. Give and take. Not take take take.
 
The short answer is that a bad transformer, or a good transformer improperly used, will indeed screw up the transient response, and the bass response too. A good transformer, used properly, won't. It might do serious damage to your bank account, though.

Peace,
Paul
 

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