Tube Preamps that work well with SS amps?


I'm looking for a tube preamp after years of strictly SS. My amps will remain SS. Which tube preamp(s) in your experience mated well with a SS amp? I'm trying to avoid the odd phenomenon where tube preamp + SS amp = slow, soggy sound in spite of benign impedance characteristics

greg7

@rixthetrick . I would have bought the BHK used but it’s lack of lack Balanced outputs (only one pair) was a showstopper. An excellent Preamp but the BAT 22 years ago (and now of course) gives you 2 sets of variable fully balanced XLR outputs and a pair of fixed XLR outs. I needed this setup because one variable pair feeds my Orchard Ultra Amp. The other variable pair feeds my Stereo Subs via a pair of 1000W ICE Amps. The fixed outputs feed my STAX hybrid Amplifier for my Koss E-Stats.

I've used a Don Sach Model 2 preamp with an old 

Carver TFM-35. Sounded really great. 

Never heard a tubed preamp / ss amp that sounded soggy. I ran a Audio Research Ref 5SE with a Pass x350 for many years. No song, sounded good, But of course replacing the Pass x350 with an ARC Ref 160s tubed  amp put the whole system on a much higher plane… no song here either.