Digital Art – Back to the Future

Amplifier with Tubes- Topaz Glow - Blazing Neon II at 78 pct

Son Logan and I were wandering around Best Buy the other day when I was attracted to this strange glowing device. It is an amplifier for a music system and it uses tubes! Those of a certain age remember going to stores with suspect tubes in hand and putting it in the tester to check. That all went by the way side when solid state amplifiers and televisions came about. I still have an amplifier from the 80’s and some massive speakers but I haven’t played anything on them in decades. It has been all about headphones and iphones.

I had heard about purists praising tubes and okay, if it works it works. The recent renaissance of vinyl records has puzzled me also although I do miss the days of rummaging through albums and playing them in the evening with a glass of wine and friends.

Are so called stereo systems making a comeback? I have to tell you the music from the system that included this device sounded wonderful and the speakers were very light.

Anyways, I thought it appropriate to use Topaz Glow to highlight the tubes on this photo.

I’m linking to Digital Art Meme Today

7 thoughts on “Digital Art – Back to the Future

  1. Andrea @ From The Sol

    Wow, I had heard about people going back to play vinyl, but tubes? That would be a stretch for me. I have to admit this amplifier is pretty awesome though and with your added help, I might be tempted. But, oh no, I am not going back to checking tubes in the hardware store. At my age, I have to keep it simple 🙂 This was a fun post Allen … stirred up a lot of memories. Thanks 🙂

    Andrea @ From The Sol

  2. Christina

    I like the effect of that photo! Very cool! My husband still has his first stereo components he purchased in the mid-seventies. Haven’t listened to anything on any of it in at least ten years, except for the turntable. Gave it to my son since he enjoys playing albums. I love listening to music, but albums were never my favorite format.

  3. Ellen

    I have a used parts store here in town that I go to when I need computer cables and other IT stuff. The last time I was there I noticed they had an old tube tester. I can remember going with dad to the grocery store to test the tubes. We still have all our old albums. I guess they’re valuable these days. We also still have a turntable. Every once and a while I’ll pull out one of them to listen to.

  4. Driller's Place

    Well, I still have a semi-conventional stereo set-up and I do like listening to my CD’s through those speakers. Although I will say that adding a dedicated subwoofer made the sound AWSOME!!! Since we downsized, I removed the subwoofer and still get acceptable sound, just not ground shaking, dish rattling sound. I do like my headphones, but I am still in love with filling the whole room with music and not just pressing my head between two speakers. Of course the room filling music is often limited to when I am “Home Alone.”

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