Originally posted by curegeorg:
...hence the fact that most tube amp manufacturers design their products for stereo, where the distortion that the tubes add can best be appreciated to achieve the sound that you like.
1) Properly functioning tube amps do not generate audible distrotion when used within their power ratings. Their characteristic sound quality actually has very little to do with the quantity of distrotion produced.
2) Tube amps are not designed "for stereo" or any particular number of channels. Many current tube amps are monoblocks.
3) Assuming speakers with efficiencies of around 90db/watt or better, tubes make excellent amps for HT use.
There is a reason that you see manufacturers of solid state amps comparing the sound of their amps to tubes, but you will never see "this amp caputres the sound of solid state!"
[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited February 18, 2004).]