2. amps-preamps
  3. 170144-114280

A little tube magic?

I’m looking for some ideas and impressions. I’d really like to run tubes for amplification, but my system pulls double duty for music and tv. It is on probably about 8 hours a day for one or the other.  This just seems like to much to me for running tubes. I’m looking for a way to be able to keep my solid state setup but add tubes in a manner I can switch them in and out. I have couple of ideas but I am aware neither is very ideal. 
First I thought I could add a tube preamp or maybe even buffer in the tape loop of my McIntosh C46. I know this will add more complexity for the signal to pas through. I’m not sure if I can expect gains that will be better that what I lose by adding extra cables and components.

My second idea would be to add a tube power amp on some sort of switch, something similar the the Shiit SYS. Which is basically a passive preamp with two inputs and a potentiometer. I’ve read that can use it backwards kind of and have the output be the input and run the two inputs to two different amps and then switch between the two. I would think I’d need two sets of speaker cables to make this work, and switch them back and forth as needed. I’m not really fond of either idea and hope there may be a solution I’m unaware of. I really just want tubes for music and ss for tv if it’s possible.  
A third option would be to get a tube dac for music listening, but I’m unsure if I’ll be able to get the amount of tube sound I’m after. I guess I could see it as part of the solution along with tubes in the pre or power amp as well. 
Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated. 
brylandgoodman
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
Ralph,
Great news.  I bet you are going to sell a lot of them.  Does the product have a name or number?  When will it have a page on your website with pics?  What is the gain and input impedance?  Thanks,  good luck.
Ric
Post removed 
invalid
1,239 posts
 
https://www.space-tech-lab.com/Tube_Buffers/Tube_Buffers.php
joeyga
36 posts
 
Many of those high powered 50k-100kwatt fm radio stations you listen to run 24/7/365....and use tubes in the final stage...don`t sweat it...just run them.
brylandgoodman OP
92 posts
 
Thanks for all the replies. Definitely helping me narrow down my path. I’m starting to think a tube buffer of some sort as well as maybe a tube dac. The Modwright buffer is very intriguing. I’m not aware of another company with as much pedigree making one.

Far as a tube dac I’d be interesting to hear some suggestions for one that really adds that tube bloom. I’ve read a few reviews of both the Border Patrol as well as the MHDT Orchid. From the reviews I’m getting the impression they both have a smooth frequency response as well as being free of digital glare, I’m not really finding much that suggest they’ll give me that bloom that I want. I wish I knew other words to describe it better. It’s that sense that as a singer hits their note and it just grows and grows and fills the space in a glorious 3d sound. I get more of this from my ss McIntosh gear hooked up to my Harbeth C7es3s than I have ever had before, but I want more. Really as much as I can get while keeping the clarity and purity.

Also would like to hear peoples thoughts on running a tube pre instead of a buffer in the tape loop. Not sure if it’s a good idea to add another gain stage, or how I would go about setting the volume level on the tube pre. It would give me considerably more options though to try to find that sound I’m looking for.

Again, thanks for the many helpful replies.
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