George Meyer AV

Caring for and Making the Most of a Tube-Based Home Audio Amplifier

Even while digital technology dominates the world of mass-market consumer goods, many home audio enthusiasts pine for simpler times and high-quality means of amplifying sounds. The fact is that interest in vacuum tube-based amplifiers has hardly ever flagged, with more than a few early enthusiasts of the solid state age having renounced their earlier endorsements as the years have passed. While most now agree that a top-quality solid state amplifier will outperform a tube-based one in terms of clinical measures, few doubt that that the subjective listening experience that tubes provide can easily be superior.

Owning and relying on a tube-based amplifier does mean living up to some responsibilities that solid state fans do not need to be concerned with, though. In addition to providing measurably more accurate reproduction of sound, solid-state amps are also much less finicky than those based on tubes, being far more capable of putting in years of service without fail.

In comparison, tube amplifiers are vulnerable to a number of common problems, but the reality is that none of these need to negatively impact the value of owning one. Typically, all that it takes to make the most of a well-made vacuum tube amplifier is to find and work with a repair service such as georgemeyer-av.com, where such devices are appreciated and respected for what they are and have to offer.

Proper maintenance to maximize the quality of sound achieved from your will require you to stay on top of tube condition and also strive to procure tubes that will maximize the performance of a given amplifier. While some purists insist that only new, old-stock tubes from the glory days of this form of electronics will do, the reality is often that more modern replacements will perform at a higher level.

For that reason, companies like http://www.georgemeyer-av.com/ will often emphasize the value of seeking out parts from some of the few remaining tube production facilities. Typically either of Russian or Chinese manufacture, these modern tubes are generally far more reliable and rugged than the ones remaining from the days when companies like General Electric were turning out tubes by the millions.