How Tube Amplification Works
Musicians and audiophiles all over the world have been singing the praises of tube amplification since the invention of the transistor; making amps and preamps some of the few electronic devices where many users prefer the earlier technology. It's less an art than it is a fundamental difference between how analog and digital technology works.
What is an Integrated Amplifier?
To the uninitiated, it can be difficult understanding what the term integrated amplifier means, especially when so many audio systems bundle an integrated amp with a receiver. Just to be clear, it is not the fact that it may be built into the same chassis as a receiver that makes a Scott amplifier an integrated amp. The term "integrated" means that the amp and the preamp are both in the same chassis, not that either integrates with another component. Amps and preamps have slightly different but similar functions:
- Preamp: This component is for signal amplification. It takes input signals from various audio sources like the radio and turntable and amplifies the signals for clarity and consistency.
- Power Amp: This is the one that drives the speakers. Rather than amplifying the signal, it amplifies power; providing the energy necessary to push the speakers.
Why Vintage Tube Amps?
The reason vintage Scott amps are still popular has to do with distortion. Everything produces distortion if you drive it too hard, but tubes distort in a way that makes the music sound better, while transistors distort in a way that makes it sound worse.
- Tube Amps: Tubes produce even order distortion, which can actually harmonize with the music; the distortion also scales linearly so it feels like it was meant to be there.
- Solid State Amps: Transistors tend to produce more accurate sound than tubes; but when the power gets too high they start clipping and instead of producing musical distortion, they produce noise.
Enjoying Music
The truth is that any musical reproduction only sounds as good as the weakest link. That's one reason why you can play compressed digital music on tiny earbuds and still enjoy it. Everything offers similar performance. Amplification is the same way, to really get the best effect you need to pair it with high quality sources and outputs. Those sources can be digital or analog, but the only way to reproduce music with all the hidden details is by ensuring that every component has the fidelity to reproduce the music in the fullest detail. Lower fidelity is fine for background music, but when you really want to enjoy it you should take the time to give it the attention it deserves. Close your eyes and let the music become your world.