How Tube Amplifiers Work & Why They're Better

How Stereo Tube Amplifiers Work:

Without getting too much in to the physics of amplification, a vacuum tube is essentially a glass tube where an electric current flows through a vacuum from a hot filament (called a cathode) to a plate (called the anode) which is at a positive voltage relative to the cathode. In physics, power is the product of voltage and current. So an amplifier increases power by increasing the voltage with current remaining the same. In essence, a signal goes into the vacuum tube amplifier and comes out stronger – or in audio terms – louder. Incidentally the cathode is why stereo tube amplifiers will actually emit a small amount light from the valves.

Stereo Tube Amplifiers Compared To Solid State Amplifiers:

Vacuum tube amplifiers are an old technology, invented more than 100 years ago. The silicon transistor was invented in the 1960's and very rapidly displaced vacuum tube amplifiers in most products.
These so called solid-state amplifiers have a few notable advantages over vacuum tube amplifiers:
1) much smaller and lighter;
2) usable in low power situations, such as battery-powered radios;
3) much improved energy efficiency;
4) higher reliability and much longer lifespan;
5) no warm-up time (stereo tube amplifiers need to be warmed up before use).
So on the face of it, solid-state amplifiers would seem to be much better, but that's not the whole story...

So Why Use Stereo Tube Amplifiers & Why They Are Better:

Tube Amplifiers have a sound that is different from other amplifiers, The tone of vacuum tube amplifiers is warmer and more natural. Also, All amplifiers when pushed to the limit (overdriven) give a form of distortion called clipping. However, stereo tube amplifiers give a less grating and more appealing sound when overdriven.
The real reason to use tube amplifiers is simple: they just produce better sound, sound that makes the amplified music sound better to the human ears.