[Scott Dorsey]

geoff wrote:

So there is no truth in the old adage that distortion products of
over-driven valves are of predominantly even order harmonics which are
pleasing to the ear, as opposed to the predominantly odd-order harmonics
that resulting from the distortion from over-driving solid-state
devices, which are considered unpleasant ?

Not really.

But that article wasn't about over-driven amplifiers either, it was about
operating amplifiers within normal envelopes. Most audio designers never think
about what happens when amps are overdriven because normal audio users don't
do that.

However... just look at the spectrum of a push-pull tube amp vs. a
single-ended tube amp.... lots more second harmonic in that single-ended
amp, some of which has to do with the lack of push-pull cancellation and
some of which has to do with having all the DC on that output transformer.
The topology has more to do with it than the device.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."