I have played classical violin for years, listened to live unapplified music and applified music. Jazz, Rock, R&B, classical, etc. One first must have a good idea what the music is suppose to sound like, and even then, you don't know how it was recorded, the mikes, setup, equipment, patch boards, etc. There are so many ways to screw up a recording. I switched a while ago to an Audio Research REF 3 Pre-amp from an Audio Research SP-11. The SP-11 retubed was wonderful. The REF 3 is magic. The SP-11 was very forgiving of bad recordings. Great music, but bad recordings. The REF 3 didn't forgive anything. Many of my older CD's sound like crap now. But, the better recorded CD's are absolutely wonderful. go figure. I run an Sota Saphire TT, with SME IV arm and Blackbird cartridge, into a Audio Research Phono Stage, then to the REF 3, then to AR VTM 120 monos for the upper panels of my speakers and also to a wonderful Mark Levinson ML3 Amp for the bass drivers, all driven through an electronic crossover, which I just bought replacing my passive crossovers. So, as you can see, I am going from tubed pre-amp, to a solid state crossover, to tubed amps and a solid state bass amp. No way do I now have tube sound exclusively or SS exclusively. My point is do whatever you can to get realistic reproduction of the electronic signal and again, if you can sit for hours listening without fatigue and not feel as if something is wrong or missing, then you are there. Or pretty close.
It is great reading your posts, you people know your stuff. Enjoy
