Game Changer? or Gimmick?

[Mreilander]

Korg revealed an IC like preamp tube at NAMM. I have a hard time believing that this little thing could produce a similar tone to conventional tubes. Thoughts?


http://www.synthtopia.com/content/20...-vacuum-tubes/

[die Bullen]

I know this will make me sound old fashioned but what is the point in all this tone simulation/ modeling stuff when it is simpler and probably cheaper to just have the real thing?

[Mreilander]

If I understand the article correctly, this device isn't a modeler, but an actual functioning tube. Thinking on it more, I could see this as a possible good alternative to conventional tubes in pedals / effects applications.

[die Bullen]

I think I'd have to see this in use to be convinced!

[Hu Duck Xing]

Reading about it, and what it does,,, seems to be a great development. It mimics a 12AX7, and all it's harmonic inrichment. I will be most interested in it's future!

[doublewah]

Very interesting. But this is a 12AX7 "clone". Hopefully other popular amp tubes are being "cloned", or else this will only be of use in pedals, or as a replacement for the tube-pre/SS-power amps already on the market.

For me, the difference between tubes and SS is dynamics, the way the it feels as well as tone. That is the part I will be skeptical about with this new development.

We have talked here before about the availability of tubes over the long-term. The world does not owe guitar players tubes, and manufacturers will only keep making tubes as long as resources are available at prices that enable the tubes to be made for prices guitar players are willing to pay for them. Many younger players' ears don't know the difference between a turn-table and an mp3. They also won't be able to discern the difference between a tube amp or SS; or more likely - they are not going to have the desire for tube amps that their dads did.

This development of Korg's and Noritake will be really interesting if they can package it in something that can plug into an old tube socket.

[doublewah]

Reading the contents, this fellow came up with a similar device eight years ago:
The H.P. Friedrichs (AC7ZL) Homepage

[doublewah]

Oops - re-reading the article - They only mentioned a 12AX7 tube by saying that the new device will not have to be replaced like tubes do. My mistake...

So - I am still curious as to whether the Nutube will behave like a pre-amp tube, a power tube, or what? And can it's behaviour be tailored to the task? Or will they eventually make various models, cloning various pre-amp, power and hopefully even rectifier tubes?

[spellcaster]

A couple of things.

At one point, the article says "The Nutube 6P1 is designed specifically to generate rich harmonics when used with a musical instrument." What I read into that is that there are design parameters that can be manipulated, and there's no guarantee that an engineer/designer's perception of what a tube should sound like is going to be on the same page as the end user's. And, knowing that the item can be "steered" to sound a particular way, I still think modelling is a valid description.

And, one of the responses printed below the article makes a very valid point....They claim it'll sound like a tube. But, everybody knows that in general, tubes don't all sound alike. So, what tube that it'll sound like are they referring to?

I don't dismiss the idea that these things might work or be a good thing.....But, until I've heard a valid demo of a credible amp design such as an AB763 with these new units instead of tubes, I remain a bit skeptical.

[zontar]

one thing it wont do that tube amps will do is have the tubes wear out--I'e heard some guys like the sound when the tubes wear out--some don't--so that could be a good thing or a bad thing.