Passionate about tube amplifiers

                                      Passionate about tube amplifier 

In Guangdong and Fujian, people call electronic tubes tubes, so tube power amplifiers are used to be called "tube amplifiers", a very intuitive and easy-to-remember name.

Physicist Fleming developed the earliest diode tube on the basis of the Edison effect. The main function of the tube is to amplify an electrical signal. The period of great development of the tube was in the first half of the 20th century, and it is widely cited in In various electronic fields, everyone knows that the world's first electronic computer was also made of electronic tubes, and that computer was as big as a living room.

In the middle of the 20th century, the transistor was invented, the transistor was smaller and more convenient to use, and the electronic tube began to be completely eliminated. However, this time was a period of great audio development, so a large number of audiophiles began to use electronic tubes to build their own cannons, and gradually formed a lot of experience. Many classic tube amplifiers have appeared, and these references to electronic tubes in the audio industry have continued to this day. But soon, transistor power amplifiers quickly replaced tube power amplifiers and became the mainstream of power amplifiers (pre-stage, post-stage). However, tube amplifiers never died.

In the 1990s, when the world's recording industry and the audio industry were in the Great Depression, tube amplifiers and electronic tubes were sold at the price of cabbage. In particular, many Western electronic tube manufacturers gradually stopped the production of electronic tubes in the 1970s and 1980s, especially the iconic WE The company discontinued the 300B electronic tube, which seemed to mark the end of the amplifier industry.

But the so-called feng shui turns, and digital music chases and kills the physical record fashion that has almost lost any retreat. Vinyl records have soared at an incredible growth rate. Although the sales of vinyl records are still impossible to surpass CDs, CDs are growing every year. It is in decline, but vinyl records are skyrocketing. A recent report shows that Japan’s music output value has surpassed the United States to become the world’s number one thanks to the contribution of AKB. Even if AKB is amazing, Japan’s output value of 100 million people exceeds 300 million people. The music empire of the United States undoubtedly proves that physical music, especially the last position of the CD record system, is being captured by digital music. The return of vinyl records and the counterattack of analog signals seem to be reasonable.

But there is another phenomenon that has nothing to do with the analog signal, and that is the amplifier, which is fully counterattacked. According to audiophile veterans, Americans prefer to play tube amplifiers, but most of those who play tube amplifiers have strong hands-on skills and make tube amplifiers by themselves. NAIM, LINN, but now, Americans and British seem to be obsessed with amplifiers, especially the electronic tubes and amplifiers exported by the Chinese, which are strongly sought after by Americans.

The resurrection of tube amplifiers has directly stimulated the Chinese market. People’s demand for power amplifiers (mainly referring to integrated amplifiers) still exists, especially now that online shopping is very developed, so that many people can get closer to tube amplifiers. Easier to find amplifiers. The basic principle of the electronic tube and the basic principle of the phonograph were both invented by Edison. The retro style hanging now can really comfort the heroic spirit of the inventor.

As a power amplifier, tube amplifiers are also divided into three types: pre-amplifier, post-amplifier, and combined machine. At the same time, there is also a tube amplifier, which is actually another pre-amplifier of the vinyl record player (phono amplifier, see the past log for the principle). And it can also be divided into combined channel machine and split channel machine.

The voltage amplification (pre-stage part) and power amplification (rear-stage part) of the integrated tube amplifier are all completed through electronic tubes. Generally speaking, rectifier tubes are added, and advanced tube amplifiers also add voltage regulator tubes, protection tubes, etc. Let's look at the McIntosh 275, a classic tube amplifier. In addition to the 4 KT88 amplifiers, there is a row of tubes with various functions in front, which makes people look like it is a combined machine.

Generally, when purchasing, people pay more attention to the quality of the power amplifier tube, and the name of the tube amplifier is generally named after the amplifier tube. After the tube to choose a more suitable front tube and rectifier tube. Of course, this is also more intuitive.