Speaking as an electronic engineer, and as an audiophile, valves add EVEN harmonic distortion.
This distortion is great in a guitar amplifier - it adds the colouration that guitarists want. It can also be pleasant in a microphone preamplifier in a recording studio - it can enhance vocal sounds.
However, it's NOT appropriate for high quality audio reproduction. Do you really want distortion added to the entire content of the material? I don't think so!
There is NO valve amplifier at ANY price that can compete with a simple, cheap semiconductor design. My semiconductor-based amplifier will win on noise, hum, transient response, power output, price, reliability, frequency response, distortion, and any other parameter you want to throw at it except weight!
The only remaining use for valves is in high power TV transmitters - they are largely redundant for all other functions!
Register
Deliberate distortion
Speaking as an electronic engineer, and as an audiophile, valves add EVEN harmonic distortion.
This distortion is great in a guitar amplifier - it adds the colouration that guitarists want. It can also be pleasant in a microphone preamplifier in a recording studio - it can enhance vocal sounds.
However, it's NOT appropriate for high quality audio reproduction. Do you really want distortion added to the entire content of the material? I don't think so!
There is NO valve amplifier at ANY price that can compete with a simple, cheap semiconductor design. My semiconductor-based amplifier will win on noise, hum, transient response, power output, price, reliability, frequency response, distortion, and any other parameter you want to throw at it except weight!
The only remaining use for valves is in high power TV transmitters - they are largely redundant for all other functions!