Will tubes ever go away?

Interesting question I saw at one of the guitar forums.

1. Will tube audiophile equipment still be relevant when baby boomers are no longer around?

2. Will there be a point in time that tube production cost really starts to prohibit tube availability at a reasonable price?

3. Will class D become the norm in "audiophile" grade (not consumer) equipiment?

 

Tubes will be around as long as there are electric guitar players. Tube audio equipment will be a niche just like it is now. IMO

 

I think tubes are a thing of beauty, both visually and to the ears, imho much more so than vinyl records. I have been on the verge of buying tube amplifiers for 30 years, sadly always stopped by shortage of funds (had a Luxman LV105u for a while, but doesn't count). They have a place and will be around for many years to come. Single end triode, yes please.

 

I agree with Tullman- most guitarists only want tube amplification and a certain faction of audio geeks will always want tubes, as well. I don't think it's just the Baby Boomers that like the sounds of tubes.

 

Not for me. I plan to keep my 66 Vibrolux Reverb running until the day I die

 

67 Fender Pro Reverb Blackface

Anyone else remember these things? Me and my Dad used to pull the tubes out of the TV and the "Hi-Fi" and see if any needed replacing. I "helped"

 

no, no, and no.
imo, tubes (even NOS) are actually very cost effective. a good SET tube amp can be had for a reasonable price, and nothing SS in that range will touch it.

 

Not just guitarists... my Korg Triton Extreme has a tube (12AX7)... and a cool blue LED light (just because)...

 

I'm curious. What does a pre amp tube like this "do" in a Keyboard?

 

The audio can be routed through the tube circuitry in a number of ways... it can be used as an insert effect, routed to any or all output busses or as a final effect, where the entire audio output can be processed by the tube. It does all of the usual tubey things, like adding subtle harmonic enhancements to full blown overdriven distortion.... you can also use the tube circuitry when sampling... it's a nice analog option to have in a digital instrument.

And, as previously mentioned, it's bathed in blue light, which of course makes all of the difference...

 

Right, not just electric guitarists...

original Hammond B3 (and other rather notable organs, ahem, Baldwin) + Leslie cabinet (122's and such) = glorious tube sound all the way

 

It's 2016 - if they were going to go away, they'd have gone away by now. The niche can't really get any smaller then it already is. In fact, I'd wager more tubes are being produced today then 20 years ago.

 

The technology is also still around for some scientific applications and in some x-ray equipment.

Good NOS tubes will sadly disappear though.

 

I want a tube in my car stereo... visibly sticking out of the dash... it could double as a heater in the winter...

 

Done.

 

Hope not.

 

IDK but I'm sure enjoying them today.

 

Yes. There was a tube tester at the Rea & Derick drugstore when I was a little kid. And when the radio station went dark, I stole the one from the transmitter room.

 

Yes, there's plenty of younger people here with tube amps(and turntables). I'm 38 and didn't even start off with vinyl until the late 90s and I just go into tubes in the last decade.

No, guitarists will never accept anything else and high end audiophile will always be able to ride on their backs. If anything new production tubes are more available now than they have been since the 70s.

LOL. No.

 

1. As a "millennial" I sure hope so.
2. Too late, already happened!
3. Hopefully not, I think we're getting to a time in age when manf's are starting to be held to higher standards thanks to the speed of information, basically the smaller guys are remaining competitive, and those that are peddling garbage are starting to die off.

 

This thread reminded me, I need to place an order for a back up set of output tubes.
Always more stuff to buy.

 

Not while guitarists exist. End story.

 

A tube can radically change the way an amplifier sounds, which means that you don't get listening fatigue and you can match the tube to the music. Love it.

 

In the European Union glowing lightbulbs are forbidden because of energy saving politics. Only halogen and LED lamps are available nowadays.
This is a consequence of letting the environmentalists get to much influence in the politics.
However now they have set their eyes on high power consumption electronics like, tube amps, klass A power amps, plasma TVs and other non power efficient gear.
So if they get thier way it could be it for us tube lovers.

If that happens I will become the Bill Macoy of our time and start smuggling tube gear into Europe.

 

The tubes in cheap synths these days are just a gimmick, with "starved plate" designs. Marketing BS.

The nine tubes in my Deluxe Reverb clone, however, are a truly wondrous thing and I hope to always be able to find replacements for them!