Tube Preamp with Solid State Amp?


Greetings!

I’ve seen some folks using Tube Preamps with Solid State Am ps. I’m thinking of doing that with my system as part of an incremental change. I currently have a Parasound P5 preamp with a Parasound A21 driving Klipsch Cornwall 4’s. Will a decent / good Tube Preamp really make a difference in my sound? I enjoy what I have now but really want to experience Tubes in my system. Thanks!
128x128bigjohn9095
I endorse the concept wholeheartedly. Have used a Passlabs X-250
ss amp with an Audio Research Ref1 tube preamp for about 20 years of beautiful sound.
I had an Audio Note M5 as preamp, with a Gamut 200i poweramp:it was delicious!. Now I have the Ear acute (tube) cd-payer , with the Daniël Hertz M6L as préamp (transistor) and the Wavac m805 ( tube monoblocks). As Speakers:the Ilumnia Magister. De sounds is very natural, holographic,detailful. “Heaven on Earth”. But always taking Into account the space and acoustics of your listening room. Of course,you have to find the “best match” for you! Enjoy your music!!!
in all candor i think that the theory that tubes mixed with SS is superior to straight up SS is
an audiophile myth. if i understand the situation one is taking what should be a neutral SS amp then throwing a tube preamp into the mix to warm things up. why not purchase the best neutral SS combo or integrated that you can afford, add a very good front end and then select the speaker that best suits your taste.
SS  today can be stunning. i think that a person that thinks they need a softener up front either hasn’t heard good SS or has other system issues. coloration up front is a bad idea imo.. tubes are fine offering a different sonic presentation but they aren’t better imo.. just different. all that said it is cooler to use tubes and a fun ride if one wants to roll tubes..
I have a Pass Labs XA 60.8 with a Joule Electra LA 150.  The Joule Electra is a tube preamp no longer in production.  I fell into this setup when I sold my McIntosh tube amp.  With my Avantgarde horn speakers this combination sounds amazing.  Not saying any of this will work for your musical taste but just that there is no obvious reason to worry about mixing tube preamp with an IC amp.  It’s all about the sound you are like looking for.
Honestly, it is wonderful, when you can find the combo, that is right for you. I have gone passive ( Luminous Audio Axiom Walker unit ), and enjoy my dac and tuner feeding my ss power amps directly, driving my modified Klipsch Lascalas. I do not want extra warmth, added coloration, nothing to smooth over, no loss of details, as I want to hear my recordings, as they are. For " me ", passive works. I do not hear sterility, as some folks mention. I do get a better understanding of the nuances, the textures, the emotions, the palpability, if you will, of what the musicians are doing, individually, and, together. In my experience, and for my enjoyment, this is the most important aspect of listening to music. ymmv. Enjoy !