2. amps-preamps
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Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp?

You probably think I'm crazy, but with all the improvements in solid state, are there any transistor preamps that have the following characteristics I hear in tubes?

1. Fully fleshed out instrumental timbre and overtones?

1. Full, alive midrange with bloom, body and dimension?

2. The airy space and separation between instruments?

3. That realness and aliveness of tubes?

4. At a retail of around $6,000 or less?

I'm sure I'll be getting some clashing opinions on this....
saxo
ait
480 posts
 
And to add to Gregm's post, with a tube preamp you can tailor the sound considerably by swapping tubes, so if you change speakers, amps, cables, etc. you can often adjust the tone back to where you like it by throwing in a different tube.
I know my Supratek sounds a LOT different with ElectroHarmonix tubes than with NOS RCA Grey Glass. You just don't have that flexibility with most SS preamps.
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tweak1
3,667 posts
 
Best buy is a PS Audio GCP 200/GCPS. It's differentially balanced, uses gain cells for volume control and has full function remote.

SS does require experimenting with iso devices, power cords, interconnects and speaker cables to get a tube-like warmth, but it's very doable. ANd once you are there
nglazer
846 posts
 
C-J PF-R. I still have mine after about 15 years (used in my BR sytem)and it is the best of tubes and SS qualities. If you see one used, grab it.

Neal
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,500 posts
 
Look up my post on the TRL ST225 Int amp.

Sell your amps,pre, extra power cords and IC. Buy this for $5000 and enjoy the best music you have ever heard out of an audio system.

No joke, many of us have replaced $16,000 - $100,000 set-ups
with this amazing int amp. I replaced a $16,000 set-up...

Audio Horizons preamp tube - fully loaded
Canary CA339 300B monoblock amps

My system improved greatly. Yes, greatly with the TRL.

Bill
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