2. amps-preamps
  3. 160034-139155

Adding a SS amp as a 2nd amp for my tube rig has been a plus

I'm really glad to have purchased a solid state amp, used, to go with my tube gear. Just the perfect solution to when I grab a moment or two to listen — that hour between work and dinner, for example. There's not enough time to warm up the the tube amps, but I turn on the tube preamp, turn on the solid state amp, and I'm in business.

I spent about 5:1 for the tube stuff (including the better tubes) relative to the SS amp, but I think spending that small extra portion on a slightly better tube rig wouldn't have gotten me as much.

Sonically, the tube stuff is superior — BUT I get a slightly different angle with the ss gear. For example, some rock sounds better with the solid state. Also nice to have a solid state when I swap different speakers in to try out.

Convenience-wise, I get more listening in to have that ss as a second amp. Most of the time, I just listen to tube, but when I can't make listening an "event", I still find myself listening.

Yes -- some additional costs (extra interconnect, extra speaker cables) but I am not the sort who breaks the bank on those items, so pretty negligible added cost.

For what it's worth. Anyone else done this?
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hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@rosco88 Very nice gear you have. I  bought some nice Valvo AT7's from the 1960s for my pre and some Genelex GL 77's for my tube amp; nicer, mellower now, having replaced  the stock JJ's which were in both units (AT7's and KT88s) at purchase.

Given how much the nice tubes in my pre-amp can affect the sound, overall, I wonder how much someone could get away with if they spent really good money on the pre and its tubes and then spent a lot less on a SS amp. How would that compare to a medium good pre/tubes/tube-amp? Hmmm. 
volumizer
86 posts
 
How do you handle the cable switching between the amps?
mickeyb
574 posts
 
Have a krell class A amp and a Conrad Johnson tube pre. The sound improves after a half hour. The krell runs hot as it’s a true pure class A. I find the sound to be magical. I love to roll the tubes on the pre to hear the subtle differences between nos 12au7’s. I can’t stand taking the damn cover off the Conrad though. I’ll have to come up with a solution to that. I would love to try an Ayre pre amp someday . I’ve heard wonderful things regarding their sound. 
pioneerhip's avatar
pioneerhip
43 posts
 
I do the same thing. The long listening session requires planning. Short bursts of enjoyment get the Pass Labs M2. Adding a solid state piece has really added something I was missing. 
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,617 posts
 
@hilde45 a while back I tried three different inexpensive ss amps (CJ,STA 200,Audiolab)along with my tubed dac and pre but never cared for the sound.I did like the convenience though.I'm sure there are other amps that would make a better combination but it would take a lot of trial and error,for me anyway.One of these days maybe I'll talk my brother into lending me his Parasound JC2 for a day.
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