Somebody Help Convert me to tubes

Dewinkle

Why do you need help to convert...just do it !!
Check which tube pre amps are comatible with ML power(imp and voltage outputs and sonically as well.)

Going in the right direction.....

Chris

I'd sell the speakers; they are a difficult load and will not mate well with the majority of tube amps mortals might afford.

Second the advice of the folks who said sell the preamp for a quality tubed unit. Vintage Audio Research is an excellent preamp for around 1000; ie, sp6, sp8. VTL 2.5 with remote is an excellent linestage with a tubed phono option available from the factory and is quite reasonably priced compared to its more expensive siblings.

Audible Illusions makes a wonderful preamp; I happen to have posted one for sale last night. Convergent Audio Technology SL1 or one of the variations is a great unit, too. If you do not require a phono stage there are many good tubed linestages available at almost any price point above 1400 new to breaking the bank. Excellent tubed phono stages are few and far between used. A new VTL 2.5 linestage with optional phono board would cost around 2200 is my guess; excellent choice.

For reliability as well as holding its value and MAYBE appreciating over time find a McIntosh C22 in nice condition preferably with original box but that is rare. The C22 benefits from some upgrade work such as bypassing the center channel and the various tone controls and filters. Replacement of passive components (caps, resistors) will be required and make a difference in sound due to the age of the unit. A re-issued C22 can also be found for just a little bit more than the vintage C22 and offers balanced connections, too. And, it is much newer of course.

Galante Rhapsody speakers at about 1200 used are an excellent choice for SET amps of 5 watts or more. An excellent push/pull amplifier to consider is a used Sun Audio SV300B which make 20 very strong watts and will power most medium to high efficiency speakers easily. NOT the Thiels....

For speakers to keep for life that love tubes look no further than the Prestige line of Tannoy. The lower end models are not too expensive; the Westminster...well...it is beautiful and well over 10k. Corner placement only for that one. Nice vintage Tannoy speakers hit audiogon from time to time. Only 10k plus used ones are for sale right now.

Audible illusions M3a. Very smooth. Tubes will not have the same lowend control your used to but will Blow the sound away in other areas. Ive spent 40,00 over the years. Tubes will not be perfect. There are still going to be recordings that will sound better on solid state. And the possibility or changing tubes to get the desired sound will eventally get you crazy. You might as well by a tube tester right off the bat :))

Turn back! That way lies madness! A move to tubes may result in a wholesale rebalancing of your system. By the time you finish you may not have much of the original system left...

OK, now I've got that off my chest, the problem with making a "small change" like a preamp is that the most crucial pairing in a tube system is the amp and the speakers. To my ears, that's where the real mojo lives. That being said, the easiest way to get a taste of tubes in your system is to bring in a tube pre. I've owned two - the Audion Premier and the Canary Audio 801 line stages. Both are excellent, but with different strengths. I really like what Canary does, and it may be possible to pick up one of their products used. Definitely buy used, because you may decide to move past whatever you get at this point.

If you decide that low-powered tubes are for you, allow me to recommend a line of speakers many haven't heard of - Fab Audio out of Toronto. Their Stonehenge is a remarkable buy for the money, and the big Model 1 (which I've been using for the last week and a half) is just plain remarkable. Feed either of them half a dozen good watts and you'll wonder where the music has been all your life :-)

I know this isn't really the kind of answer your looking for, but if I were you I would go to the Madrigal website and read the review on the 380S by Larry Alan Kay very carefully. I think after reading this review you might consider upgrading your 38S to a 380S and continue on enjoying your Mark Levinson preamp with it's features that a lot of other preamps just can't match. The rest of your system looks terrific to me and since you've got the preamp bug upgrading to the 380S will still make your preamp look the same but it surely will not sound the same. Read the review and be carefull what you do. Good luck.