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Different tube distortion - why?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 8:59 am
by soundbrigade
I got slightly involved in a "discussion" about the nature and causes of various tube amp distortions, like what was the cause of the various odd and even number distortion in PP and SE amplifiers.
Any good answers that doesn't include Fourier transforms and Taylor series?

Re: Different tube distortion - why?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:06 pm
by Geek
soundbrigade wrote:I got slightly involved in a "discussion" ....


Translation: The discussion became a "glowing anode" and the thread was locked (lol) Been there! ;)

Any good answers that doesn't include Fourier transforms and Taylor series?


The simple answer - physics.

Different active device constructions yield different types of distortion products.

Not trying to be facetious, just answer within your paramterers.

Cheers, bud!

Re: Different tube distortion - why?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 8:09 pm
by DeathRex
Trioda' triode/pentode loadline calculator was an eye opener.

Re: Different tube distortion - why?

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2021 6:38 am
by ruffrecords
A major difference between SET and push pull (PP) amps is that PP ones largely cancel even harmonics leaving only odd harmonic distortion starting with the third.

SET amps produce predominantly second harmonic distortion with other odd and even harmonics at lower levels.

Cheers

Ian