I prefer transient non-linear low end/bass compression, added harmonics to high end/ treble and non-linear limiting with my music. Essentially, tube pre-amp goodness.
But I want to accomplish it without the tube hassle and limitations. Please let me know any available good DSP solutions that can authentically simulate tube sound, and allow tweaking of the parameters.
But I want to accomplish it without the tube hassle and limitations. Please let me know any available good DSP solutions that can authentically simulate tube sound, and allow tweaking of the parameters.
Not really. There have been VST tube emulator plugins for years. They don't sound exactly like the real deal.
The above having been said, if you want to try something like that then there are probably some freeware or trialware VST plugins you could audition. There are also some "freeware VST hosts" and or freeware or free trial "virtual patch cable" apps for Windows, so it should be possible to try some VST plugins in your digital processing path to see what you think. Maybe a Google search for "VST tube emulator plugins" would be a good start.
The above having been said, if you want to try something like that then there are probably some freeware or trialware VST plugins you could audition. There are also some "freeware VST hosts" and or freeware or free trial "virtual patch cable" apps for Windows, so it should be possible to try some VST plugins in your digital processing path to see what you think. Maybe a Google search for "VST tube emulator plugins" would be a good start.
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I think what you're describing is a bad tube preamp.
And how does a tube preamp limit when it has a 300V power supply?
Maybe you are actually kidding us?
Or maybe the rest of the gentleman's system is of such a sound by itself such that it benefits from a particular tube sound? Could be; we have forum members with all kinds of systems.
Rahul's SCG all the way!
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/schade-common-gate-scg-preamp.380487/page-63#post-7472762
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/schade-common-gate-scg-preamp.380487/page-63#post-7472762
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/psychoacoustic-enhancers
On an old cheap MP3 player, I noticed that the lyrics were clear as a bell, clearer than I'd heard before listening to the same old tracks. Human hearing is a process that can use a little help sometimes. So, super fidelity is just misguided pursuit.
On an old cheap MP3 player, I noticed that the lyrics were clear as a bell, clearer than I'd heard before listening to the same old tracks. Human hearing is a process that can use a little help sometimes. So, super fidelity is just misguided pursuit.
Not exactly. Some recordings are best enjoyed with a very high fidelity system. Some other lesser quality recordings may benefit from some forgiveness in the form of some carefully chosen less than super high fidelity performance at some point in the system. Making a system forgiving enough of a poor recording can take as little as switching out one coupling cap for another at a single point in the system. It depends. BTW, I do not make this stuff up. John Curl knew about it decades ago, and I didn't find out about it from him either.
True. But we have had members who were satisfied or at least believed in the advertised claims of ebay/aliexpress Chinese dacs such as those for ES9038Q2M. We had one guy who could afford better who was perfectly satisfied with the stock sound of one of those dacs. He was maybe the only one that tolerant of the sound, but I believe it was okay with him.
If there can be people like that, then I suspect there can also be people who take those cheap, awful sounding dacs and add some tube distortion because that's all they know how to do. Can it sound better that way? I don't know, but possibly it could.
People like that don't know what recorded music is supposed to sound like. They have never heard a really good system and wouldn't consider paying for what one costs even if they did hear it.
If there can be people like that, then I suspect there can also be people who take those cheap, awful sounding dacs and add some tube distortion because that's all they know how to do. Can it sound better that way? I don't know, but possibly it could.
People like that don't know what recorded music is supposed to sound like. They have never heard a really good system and wouldn't consider paying for what one costs even if they did hear it.
Increasing the second, probably just masks some of the other harmonics.
Meant more as a solid state option in answer to the OP rather than the ensuing discussion
