@mesch
Maybe. However, as you likely well know, your BEL is one of (few, more rare) and exceptional older SS amps that does provide unique sound and soundstage. It would take a really good tube amp to dethrone your amp (an average tube amp won’t cut it IMO), which is higher power of course. With the right 6SN7 preamp and your BEL, you’ll be in bliss. I was in the same boat as you, with a higher power 200w SS amp until I went back to tube monos.
FYI: I ran a similar combo to yours in a prior configuration (tube pre / SS amp), and still have my 6SN7 based preamp. Absolutely love it, and yes, the right preamp will dethrone older Jolidas, handily, unless it has all 5-levels of upgrades which makes it a decent unit - but not as good (IMO) as a super nice 6SN7 based point-to-point preamp. A buddy has one, and the factory modded that Jolida until there was nothing left to do. In my rig I went head-to-head side-by-side comparing for a solid year and finally went back to mono tube amps. Again, your BEL is a bit of an exception. I was messing around with similar demos/approaches with Pass amps, before going back to tube amps. While 6SN7 tube preamps can sound nice, and I like mine a lot spent several years messing around to find really good 6SN7 tubes both NOS and new. I can goof up the sound of my preamp by installing lower-cost and more common new re-issue russian or chinese 6SN7s. Not all 6SN7 tubes are created equal, this is for certain!
This is why you see Mike Sanders (Quicksilver) and others now using (lower cost / more available / quiet) 12AT7 tubes in their preamps. He’s thinking of the consumer, his customers! I ended up with some boutique 6SN7s and it paid off, but it was a journey to get there. When you get your 6SN7 tube preamp, if you don’t buy some new/re-issue tubes, check out the "Sophia Electric Blue Glass 6SN7 Tubes". Not inexpensive, but...can be a game changer IF you do not buy NOS/vintage black plates or something. A buddy has the Sophia Blues and apparently for him they "best some of his very near and dear vintage 6SN7s" he’s tried over many years, and he has a lot of tubes. The key i found in a good 6SN7 preamp is getting the right tubes (with decent coupling caps too) Or, finding the right preamp where the designer truly KNOWS how to build the circuit to best utilize the new/re-issue 6SN7 tubes - very few seem to know how to do it well or at least to make it worth buying a 6SN7 based pre.
All said, this is what makes the Mike Sanders Quicksilver Linestage (non-remote) version tube preamp a real bargain. He thinks of the consumer, and value.
..
Using a Jolida Fusion tube pre into a BEL 1001 MK5 SS amp presents a very holographic soundstage in my ~15x12’ room.
Would the right tube amp make an improvement? I can’t say.
I will be receiving a Aric Audio 6sn7 based pre next week to replace the Jolida.
Maybe. However, as you likely well know, your BEL is one of (few, more rare) and exceptional older SS amps that does provide unique sound and soundstage. It would take a really good tube amp to dethrone your amp (an average tube amp won’t cut it IMO), which is higher power of course. With the right 6SN7 preamp and your BEL, you’ll be in bliss. I was in the same boat as you, with a higher power 200w SS amp until I went back to tube monos.
FYI: I ran a similar combo to yours in a prior configuration (tube pre / SS amp), and still have my 6SN7 based preamp. Absolutely love it, and yes, the right preamp will dethrone older Jolidas, handily, unless it has all 5-levels of upgrades which makes it a decent unit - but not as good (IMO) as a super nice 6SN7 based point-to-point preamp. A buddy has one, and the factory modded that Jolida until there was nothing left to do. In my rig I went head-to-head side-by-side comparing for a solid year and finally went back to mono tube amps. Again, your BEL is a bit of an exception. I was messing around with similar demos/approaches with Pass amps, before going back to tube amps. While 6SN7 tube preamps can sound nice, and I like mine a lot spent several years messing around to find really good 6SN7 tubes both NOS and new. I can goof up the sound of my preamp by installing lower-cost and more common new re-issue russian or chinese 6SN7s. Not all 6SN7 tubes are created equal, this is for certain!
This is why you see Mike Sanders (Quicksilver) and others now using (lower cost / more available / quiet) 12AT7 tubes in their preamps. He’s thinking of the consumer, his customers! I ended up with some boutique 6SN7s and it paid off, but it was a journey to get there. When you get your 6SN7 tube preamp, if you don’t buy some new/re-issue tubes, check out the "Sophia Electric Blue Glass 6SN7 Tubes". Not inexpensive, but...can be a game changer IF you do not buy NOS/vintage black plates or something. A buddy has the Sophia Blues and apparently for him they "best some of his very near and dear vintage 6SN7s" he’s tried over many years, and he has a lot of tubes. The key i found in a good 6SN7 preamp is getting the right tubes (with decent coupling caps too) Or, finding the right preamp where the designer truly KNOWS how to build the circuit to best utilize the new/re-issue 6SN7 tubes - very few seem to know how to do it well or at least to make it worth buying a 6SN7 based pre.
All said, this is what makes the Mike Sanders Quicksilver Linestage (non-remote) version tube preamp a real bargain. He thinks of the consumer, and value.
..