For all the tube lovin' people out there

**stryder144** · 06-04-2002, 02:27 PM

Has anyone seen/used the new AOpen AX4B-533Tube motherboard? It apparently uses a vacuum tube amplification system for the audio. I guess it is for the audiophile in all of us. I think that I will keep my eye on this one. Here is a link: http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/ax4b-533Tube.htm.

Cheers.

06-04-2002, 02:35 PM

[flame]
Tubes suck
[/flame]

seriously, tubes get very hot and draws a lot of power... why does that sound wrong when placed near a CPU ??

**stryder144** · 06-04-2002, 02:45 PM

[flame]
Tubes suck
[/flame]

seriously, tubes get very hot and draws a lot of power... why does that sound wrong when placed near a CPU ??

[singed] *Tubes don't suck. [/singed]

They do draw a lot of power and provide plenty of heat. *And, it does seem rather odd to place it next to a cpu. *But, it does seem to be insulated rather well. *Hard to tell, as I don't actually have one sitting in front of me. *That is why I am going to wait and see before passing judgement. *Besides, if I am not mistaken, cga loves tubes and I thought that he would at least get a kick out of this. *

**gmoreno** · 06-04-2002, 08:09 PM

Stryder did you ever get involved with Amateur Radio? Usually amateur radio people love tubes...

**stryder144** · 06-04-2002, 08:41 PM

Stryder did you ever get involved with Amateur Radio? * Usually amateur radio people love tubes... *

No, but I really enjoy old tube-driven guitar amplifiers. I am a struggling guitar player. I prefer analog tone to digital cleanliness. Just my opinion.

**creedon** · 06-05-2002, 02:07 PM

If you notice, the output stage has only one tube; they must be aiming for TRUE audiophiles- the ones that consider "Stereophonic" sound radical! BAH!!!

**civ1492** · 06-05-2002, 02:15 PM

hmm dont think this is a good idea, are there really so many audiophiles out there who would pay the money for that tube - just to play mp3s with it ? ..

**stryder144** · 06-05-2002, 02:48 PM

[quote author=ch-b link=board=14;threadid=2196;start=0#36682 date=1023286529]
hmm dont think this is a good idea, are there really so many audiophiles out there who would pay the money for that tube - just to play mp3s with it ? ..

[/quote]

Well, my guess is that the true audiophile would simply hook his computer up to a tube-driven stereo amplifier and listen to his music in true stereoscopic sound through real speakers. That's just my guess, mind you

.

**carlywarly** · 06-05-2002, 09:00 PM

It has a double-triode valve (tube in the US) to give stereo ( an ecc88 or similar in single-ended mode ). Valves don't actually draw much power at all, and miniature triodes like these don't get particularly hot either - it is well away from the cpu if you look carefully.

I would be more interested in the 200+volts required to swing a reasonable output, and the safety implications. Unfortunately, it has a solid-state regulator and a switch-mode power supply. Both of these are frowned upon by serious valve people.

**cga** · 06-05-2002, 10:53 PM

Yes, this is kind of funny. Actually, I use to own a CD player that had a tube output stage. Very nice. But this is kind of silly- I don't consider my computer to be a high fidelity source any more than my tv. So solid state junk is fine for audio in those applications.

But for music, real music, and not that MP3 stuff, I'll take tubes any day. Like a sweet, sweer set of single ended 2A3 triodes driving some full range horn loudspeakers. With vinyl LPs for the source. Now that is real hifi!

/cga wipes drool from keyboard