I think your sources need to be upgraded. If you spend $15 K on preamp/amp then IMO you will way outclass your tt and digital player.
Tube vs SS vs Digital
I've read a lot of the older posting on Tube vs SS, and they are now about 3 years old. I am looking at making a change with my amp/preamp. I would like some advice. Budget is about $15k.
From a tube perspective, I am considering something like a Rogue M-180 and a Cary SLP-05.
From a SS perspective, I am considering something like a Classe' CA-M600 and a CP-800.
From a Digital perspective, something like a Bel Canto REF 1000M and a preamp from Ayre.
My concern is this: my local dealer mentioned that I should stay away from tubes as he has seen tubes "blow up" and ruin good speakers. Really?
I would like to get some opinions on the best route to go and possible brands/models/combinations.
Speakers are Revel Salon 2. Source is Rega RP3 TT and Oppo 95.
Thanks!
From a tube perspective, I am considering something like a Rogue M-180 and a Cary SLP-05.
From a SS perspective, I am considering something like a Classe' CA-M600 and a CP-800.
From a Digital perspective, something like a Bel Canto REF 1000M and a preamp from Ayre.
My concern is this: my local dealer mentioned that I should stay away from tubes as he has seen tubes "blow up" and ruin good speakers. Really?
I would like to get some opinions on the best route to go and possible brands/models/combinations.
Speakers are Revel Salon 2. Source is Rega RP3 TT and Oppo 95.
Thanks!
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- 18 posts total
With 15K to burn you can get into some tube mania...be warned as tubes can be extremely addictive. After over 40 years using tubes in guitar and bass amps I have never had one blow up, and those things get bounced all over the damn place. Kind of like your dealer saying, "I've seen heavy amps dropped on people's feet." In my hifi heap I recently switched from a SS power amp to a tube amp and I absolutely love it, it's fun, I prefer the sound of tubes, and I now have collections of tubes to play with. The ones that aren't plugged in...I just play with them on the floor...roll around, put little pants on them, draw little faces, give them names... |
Wolfie, definitely the best post of the day, and probably the week :-) Mbovaird, I'm not particularly familiar with your speakers, but based on their impedance curve I suspect that most tube amps would not be good matches for them. Their variation of impedance as a function of frequency (low in the bass and lower mid-range regions; high in the upper mid-range and lower treble regions) will interact with the relatively high output impedance of a tube amp to produce a significantly brighter sound than with the low output impedance of a solid state amp. I suspect that with most quality tube amps that added brightness will be objectionable. Also, given their roughly 4 ohm impedance at lower frequencies, their 86db/2.83V/1m sensitivity is effectively only 83db for a 1 watt input at 1 meter. So you will obviously need lots of power, and it is probably safe to assume that high powered tube amplification will be considerably more expensive than high powered solid state amplification of comparable quality. I have no particular opinion on Classe vs. Bel Canto, or on Class AB solid state vs. Class D generally. Regards, -- Al |
- 18 posts total