Going tubes...

[Mickster]

.. I turn to revenue generated to evaluate?

Generated revenue is not a 100% reliable indicator for the suitability of a particular product to meet a specific requirement.
The placebo effect can be quite dramatic in terms of sales value.
If someone firmly believes that something does what the marketing team sold them on, they will part with their cash, quite readily.
Oxygen-free copper cables, energy crystals, homeopathic remedies, personal Faraday shielding mesh and tape, and a whole list of other stuff...
Snake-oil salesmen used to have quite a lucrative business back in the day.....

 

[gophert]

I relegate this, perhaps, agreeable fact to previous 1st and 3rd harmonic(s) discussed earlier- even tho I've never seen a 741 hooked to an output transformer in design.. But the result should be better on the graph, theoretically

You do realize that these so-called "palatable" harmonics are only generated when the amp is driven to distort the input signal, right? Fine for a guitar amp effect but kind of weird for listening to recorded or broadcast audio.

 

[oemcar]

Snake-oil salesmen used to have quite a lucrative business back in the day.....

While a novel idea can flourish, short term- What is the half life of snake oil? Did it survive public discretion in the long term?

My point is that bad products fail in short time... The tube industry has survived for 100 +/- years, much longer than solid state-
Not drawing performance comparo, only to your query, market longevity

 

[gophert]

While a novel idea can flourish, short term- What is the half life of snake oil? Did it survive public discretion in the long term?

My point is that bad products fail in short time... The tube industry has survived for 100 +/- years, much longer than solid state-
Not drawing performance comparo, only to your query, market longevity

Snake oil doesn't have a half-life, the sales pitch has a half-life. Just when you think snake oil is a dead product, the sales pitch changes, the value proposition changes, formation changes, the price changes, the packaging changes - or even the distribution channel changes. Snake oil still exists on the market - walk into Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Target, etc, all carry various versions of old-school "snake oil".

The Evolution of tube amps has been the same. The current sales pitch is the "odd harmonics" story snd, since the harmonics only come with distortion, they try to advertise that "fast transients" create distortion and tube amps make these transients sound better. I haven't had to deal with fast transients lately but please let me know how your transients sound (fast or slow).

Previous sales pitches include "hardwood cabinets", "visual statement piece", "sure-to-be conversation starter". Enjoy.

 

[oemcar]

The more you post Gopher,
The more it seems you are doing the same thing you are accusing me of...

jus sayin'

 

[rjenkinsgb]

All you have to do is look at the crazy adverts in many "hifi" magazines.

There are many places selling such as cables with ludicrous advertising claims that imply they are somehow "better" and with eg. 50x higher price than a generic cable that will function exactly the same.

The most ludicrous ones are digital interconnects such as optical leads or HDMI, which imply some magical and totally impossible improvement.

With audio gear in general, there are many high end price makers that do not publish actual technical specs, basically pushing things on trivia such as case materials, exotic sounding names or just "it's good because we say it is" typo blurb.

That's the "Snake oil" - and the magazines have to go with it, even publishing laughably impossible reviews, as they only survive because of advertisers - and a legitimate review of one of the scam products will mean they lose their income.

Some audiophile gear makers do publish specs with ludicrous price gear, which can be good for a laugh:-

Example - go to the "specs" link on this, at almost £2500:

Schiit Yggdrasil

Buy your Schiit Yggdrasil online, directly from Schiit Europe, The Authorised EU retailer offering 5 years warranty

www.schiit.co.uk

Compared to the audio outputs on such as this far more versatile device, at roughly £100 (I got one for £20 secondhand).

Scarlett 2i2

The original studio-quality 2-in, 2-out interface, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, has been remastered for the artist.

focusrite.com

And of course the most telling point is that major recording studios do not use "audiophile" type gear, they use what is actually good - and usually quite cheap in comparison.

 

[Mickster]

There are many places selling such as cables with ludicrous advertising claims that imply they are somehow "better" and with eg. 50x higher price than a generic cable that will function exactly the same.

The most ludicrous ones are digital interconnects such as optical leads or HDMI, which imply some magical and totally impossible improvement.

I'm saving for one of these:
**broken link removed**
Should work great with the converter I need for the TV:
**broken link removed**

 

[gophert]

The more you post Gopher,
The more it seems you are doing the same thing you are accusing me of...

jus sayin'

More like, you're "jus talkin'" - but you're not saying anything.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Mickster;
this description is priceless:

Solid 100% Silver-Plated Conductors To eliminate electrical and magnetic strand interaction and reduce noise. Provides much of the benefit of solid silver, reducing distortion and digital timing errors.

So....can I melt the cables down for investment grade bullion?

But back to the OP's question. The reason people covet tube equipment, is similar to the reason covet old cars. Nostalgia.

Of course, a new direct-injection, turbocharged 4 cylinder 2.0L engine will make more horsepower, while simultaneously getting better mileage and far less pollution, than a 1970s era carbureted 8 cylinder 5.0 liter one.

That does not stop people from acquiring and restoring such cars.
And they were so much simpler! Wide open chassis, with large, simple to disassemble components.

This is also a fact with tube equipment.

 

[Mickster]

The reviews are even better......

 

[gophert]

investment grade bullion

Next year they'll have oxygen-free silver. Don't buy now, wait for the upgraded version (if your hears can put up with listening through ordinary copper conductors until O2FreeAg(tm)* is available.

* O2FreeAg is a trademark of GopherT Industries Worldwide Limited.

 

[oemcar]

In finality,
Same query was posted on 2 other sites...
This one has proven to be the most militant... So since you all have been high five-ing each other... time to take another lap

I posted this in plurality to draw out free thinkers...

After 5 pages here-
It might have been easier to find a righteous person in Sodom or Gomorrah- lol

 

[gophert]

In finality,
Same query was posted on 2 other sites...
This one has proven to be the most militant... So since you all have been high five-ing each other... time to take another lap

I posted this in plurality to draw out free thinkers...

After 5 pages here-
It might have been easier to find a righteous person in Sodom or Gomorrah- lol

I assume you found "better" answers at **broken link removed** and **broken link removed**.

Enjoy telling people in your echo Chambers how great your amp is.

 

[Mickster]

Same query was posted on 2 other sites...
This one has proven to be the most militant... So since you all have been high five-ing each other... time to take another lap

Would you please share links to the other sites, so we can reflect and see if we have been overly-critical?
Making a judgement of one source against another, without giving any kind of standard, is pretty meaningless.

 

[Mickster]

This one has proven to be the most militant...

Maybe you are right with that assessment.
We have a large collection of members from all walks of life here... Scientists, University Professors, industry professionals, seasoned EE's, lab technicians, bench technicians, EE students at various levels, experienced hobbyists, hobbyists, novices and complete noobs.
What's the common theme among all of the above members here, who choose to reply?
No BS.
Nobody here is going to tell you that what you think is the dog's danglies is the dog's danglies, if it is not.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

I posted this in plurality to draw out free thinkers...

And that is exactly what you have found here!

Freethinker / Freethought definition:
Freethought (or free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that positions regarding truth should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism, rather than authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma

Facts and figures, rather than unfounded belief, superstition, or following fashion fads, in other words.

 

[Pommie]

I don't have a view either way due to lack of interest but agree that you found free thinkers here.
Sounds like you have a closed mind to anything not supporting your view.

Mike.

 

[oemcar]

Would you please share links to the other sites, so we can reflect and see if we have been overly-critical?

Nah,
Not going to start an inter-group pissing match. What was said elsewhere shouldn't effect you...
After all, your opinion is beyond reproach- right?

 

[Mickster]

Nah,
Not going to start an inter-group pissing match. What was said elsewhere shouldn't effect you...
After all, your opinion is beyond reproach- right?

Absolutely not, I'm always open to correction and willing to learn something new.
I doubt there would be any kind of pissing match from members of this forum, just simply an interest in seeing where your source of information came from, and where, if required, additional material could be offered that corrects any misunderstanding or misconception.

 

[oemcar]

Maybe you are right with that assessment.
We have a large collection of members from all walks of life here... Scientists, University Professors, industry professionals, seasoned EE's, lab technicians, bench technicians, EE students at various levels, experienced hobbyists, hobbyists, novices and complete noobs.

I dont doubt that in the slightest- Ive been on this forum enough to recognize that-
But I do come from modest pedigree myself, if I'm allowed to say so...

This degreed engineer is the recipient of the below pic'ed... 2 US Patents- 1 Utility, 1 Design

Doesn't mean that my opinion means any more than someone else's... But per the query..