2. amps-preamps
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Very Basic Tube/SS Pre-AMP/AMP Question

I am a novice, but after reading these forums there appears to be many pros and cons about using tubes or not using them and in the end, it is a very subjective issue.

I am wondering if it makes sense to use say, a high-end tube preamp like one of the ARC's and pair it with a high-end solid state amp like the PASS. Has anyone tried doing this, and if so what were the results?

I've got my eyes on the Revel Studio's right now, and I need components to drive them...if that helps.

I live in Tokyo and it is very difficult to demo quality gear out here. I would greatly appreciate any advice in this area!

Cheers,

Michael
squidbone
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
Another fellow Tokyoite... I have tube monoblocks and when I bought them, I tried all the combinations (all tubes, all SS, and both other combos) and ended up going with a tube amp with passive pre. I highly recommend putting tubes somewhere in the system. If you're interested, Dynamic Audio in Akihabara (5F of Soundhouse) has (or had a week ago) an ARC VT200 amp for ~JPY 500k, similar or lower price than what you'll find on Audiogon. They also had an ARC pre. DA in Shinjuku (basement) recently had a great price on a pair of Revel Ultima Studios. Send me an email if you want more places to find gear.
mgottlieb
334 posts
 
A lot of people seem to think tube preamp/solid state power amp(s) are the best compromise, giving you a substantial part of the benefits of both. So I'm trying it--Lamm L1 preamp and LP2 phono amp, with Classe CAM350 power amps. The Classes, of course, are solid state, the LP2 is tubed, and the L1 is a tube/ss hybrid. The system sounds better than it ever has before, but until I audition tube or hybrid power amps, I can't really say if it's the best of all possible worlds.
macdonj's avatar
macdonj
118 posts
 
I've had a tube pre-amp with solid state power for nearly ten years and like it a lot. However, it's been so long since I've had any other combination that I may be missing something.
phild
603 posts
 
I really do think it's worth trying. Most people like the effect of a few tubes in their system. Just make sure that the premps output voltage is compatable with the amps sensitivity.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
I'm running a tube preamp with a solid state amp and really like it a lot. Prior to that all my experience was with solid state, but I think my tastes are leaning towards tubes. I'm starting to experiment with different tubes now, which is another neat way to tweak the sound. I think the combo you're considering will impress you greatly. Oh yes, and make sure to heed Phild's advice. What is that ratio again? The amp should have 10-100 times the input impedance of the preamp's output impedance? Definitely do a search on this matter.
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