The Sound of Tubes – Why is it So Good?

Technically, there were of course superior solutions available, like transistors which then gave birth to solid-state sound amplification. As the solid-state approach is technically “better”, more consistent, less expensive and with a generally longer life span, why is tube amplification not dead yet? Well, simply it is because they sound so darn good! There is of course a noticeable difference in sound signature that a lot of people love and cannot imagine doing without.

So, I must be talking about this “tube sound” then! Well, yes and no. Tube amplifiers can offer a very broad range of how they really sound. To some, the tube sound is very warm, with almost a honey-like signature, not rushed and with a soft ceiling. These days however, due to the development of supporting technology (being output transformers, quality of wiring, experience in suppressing noise, etc.) we are able to perfect and tune the sound signature in many ways. All that helps achieve dynamics, resolution and stage that was unheard of for tube amplifiers before. Also, further development of headphones reproduction quality, with constantly improving quality of drivers used, has elevated the perception of head-fi to another level over last couple of years.

One big thing that makes the tube amplifiers so versatile and exciting is the ability of tube rolling. By simply changing the tubes, either for another make or brand or a type (within electrical compatibility of course) you can significantly change how the amplifier sounds. It is almost like having many different amps by just swapping the tubes! The tube rolling is a hobby in itself for many and greatly reflects the common phrase that the journey is the destination… There are thousands of tubes made over years out there, both the new production and the historical products. They allow for fine tuning of the sound signature as well as better matching with the rest of your setup (e.g. if your headphones are relatively dry and analytical, you can offset that nicely by using warmer tubes for the amplifier).

As we live in a more and more “digital” world, the tube amplifiers bring that wonderful balance to the whole experience. They make listening easier, more relaxing, eliminating the hard edges sometimes created by technically superb, but perhaps lacking some emotion, high resolution DAC’s and headphones. The tubes not only add to the sonic experience though. They bring tangible, life-like experience: there is a real glow of the tubes, there is a “physical” warmth coming out of them, it’s such an analog experience yet without compromise on performance. It’s like driving a modern high-performance car, with a pure combustion engine and a manual transmission – yes there are faster cars out there (EV’s or automatics) but they cannot deliver on engagement and feel.

My father, Henryk Feliks, has been designing tube amps for over 40 years. Back in the day, the stacks of post-Soviet military tubes was all that was available for an ambitious young engineer to build good amplifiers behind the Iron Curtain. I’m thrilled that he lived to see the times when this technology experienced a big comeback, supplemented by other technological developments. The “tube sound” is in the end more than just sound per se – it’s the holistic experience that comes through our hearing, visual and feeling sensors, coupled with endless opportunity for fine tuning through tube rolling.

Lukasz Feliks
Feliks Audio

fot. Mary Zubowicz / Cosmo Foto Studio

fot. Mary Zubowicz / Cosmo Foto Studio