[Amps] Tubes vs. Solid State (was) Expert Amps 2K-FA: Any Opinions ?

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Bravo, Jim.  Interestingly, Elecraft showed a PA-1500 at Dayton for 
several years, and I know they had at least one out for field test.  It 
had a flock of super features, including very fast band-changing, QSK, 
etc.  Sounds a lot like the KPA-500 X3

Recently, someone commented authoritatively (well, it sounded like it) 
on the Elecraft reflector that Wayne and Eric had decided against 
marketing the amp because it would have to be priced at $6000, and they 
thought that price point was too high.  Recent discussion about SS amps, 
however, seems to indicate that this pricing would now be reasonable, 
and I, for one, would seriously consider making it my first new amp, 
even though $6K is more than I have spent on ham equipment in the last 
decade.

73, Pete N4ZR
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On 4/29/2012 11:02 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 4/29/2012 5:24 PM, Roger (K8RI) wrote:
>>> Most of the tube designs have been significantly "over engineered".
>>>>   That is, the tubes have excess plate dissipation for the power output
>>>>   and grids that will take a significant beating.
>> Which is a plus for tubes.
> Naw, it's a plus for conservative design.
>
> One thing that seems to be missed in this discussion about home brewing
> amps was clearly pointed in a comment in this thread -- the key to solid
> state amp design is THERMAL design and protection.  Those are very
> different skills than most amp designers of our generation learned, so
> at least in part, it's an "old dog new tricks" problem, not a limitation
> of the technology.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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