Pedrillo
Are you saying the issue with the bass happens while listening to the exact same recording each time? Or are you saying with the exact same recording on tube pre it's one way and with SS pre it's another?
Speakers, gear, and room combined, have it/their level where the rig will sound great or be at it's best.
Merely lowering the vol will reduce the reflections impact and lessen the clouding of the content. treating the room too will reduce them better so higher vols can be reached without the addition of those reflections.
I feel the loudsqueaker itself is the biggest factor with regard to various volume levels sounding good. Of course so are your own ears.
Past those items, is the simple mating of the components to one another, and the amp to the speakers.
If your SS pre provides you better bass on the exact same recording than does the Tube pre, you have one answer only. THAT particular SS pre gives better bass than THATparticular tube pre... that's all.... or vice versa.
The bass I get from my Thor preamp is quite satissfactory. Depending on which amp it drives, the bass changes. With my EL34 monos it is not that of my Butler hybrid or Odyssey Stratos Plus +. The monos though have other characteristics which IMO offset that aspect enough for me to routinely enjoy them.
There will be an optimum range for a squeaker, depending on amps & room size, and naturally the squeaker itself. 'Course, my own ears will have a say there as well, as will the recording itself.
I like Johnny Hartman in the mid to high 80's. I prefer Def Leppard and ZZ Top in the 93-96 range. those are average readinds, peaks are higher for sure. I can no longer handle db levels past the upper 90's, and then not for long.
Want low level listening impact and weight to appear improved? Add more watts/power.
