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Solid-state preamp with tube power amp


How important is it to use a tube preamp with a tube poweramp? Will a solid-state preamp "undo" the tube effect of the power amp?
ral6to
larryi
4,033 posts
 

I prefer using tubes for phonostages, linestages and the main amplifier.  I might consider using a solid state amp if I were in need of much more power (I generally do not like high-powered tube gear), but, I am less inclined to use a solid state preamp in front of a tube amp.  Still, I have heard pretty good results when I did use solid state in front of a tube amp, and I don't subscribe to the notion that there is some kind of tube "magic" or "essence" that is completely lost in so doing.  Although it is on long-term loan, I own, and have used with success, a Levinson No. 32 preamp that fed very low-powered tube amps (Audio Note Kageki). 

While any combination of tube and solid state gear can be made to work, I have found that it is actually harder to use tube feeding solid state rather than the other way around.  There can be an incompatibility with tube feeding solid state that cannot be accounted for by just the issue of high output impedance of the tube linestage.  For some reason, even when the impedances are supposedly compatible and interconnect length is kept suitably short, this combination can sound overly warm, sluggish and too loose in the lower frequency range.  This is not always the case, but, it does happen enough that one cannot assume compatibility just by looking at specifications.

zombiedad's avatar
zombiedad
27 posts
 
I also  disagree with Elinor.    I am using McIntosh C52 as preamp , have it connected to my tube amp muzishare x7. I called it Hybrid and it sounds amazing!

All my tubes from the X7 are gold lion KT88 along with the signal tubes.
lectronjh50
31 posts
 
Hello all,
When I use Klyne pre-amp (SS) with Lectron JH 50 (tube amp), music sounds awesome. It sounds somewhat different when I use NAT Plasma (tube pre-amp) with Conrad Johnson
MF-2550 (SS) amp, but I would not say either combination sounds more satisfying than the other. The speakers are ProAc Response 3.8.

nordicnorm
313 posts
 
As you've no doubt discerned from the above posts, it's all relative.

I've been in this hobby for over 45 years. My $0.02 is that it is easier to build good sounding solid state components AT A CHEAPER PRICE POINT (e.g. sub $1,000) than it is tubed.

Which explains the popularity of Schitt products. They deliver tremendous value at their price point.

I used to have Martin Logan Spires (recently replaced with Coherent Audio GR 12's, which are 96dB). I have both solid state and tube monoblocks. They are fed with a Don Sachs 6NS7 tube preamp. 

My s/s monoblocks put out 900W into 4Ω.  My tube monoblocks output 75W. 

The tube amps lack the punch of the solid state but sound more musical on instrumental recordings. Tube rolling becomes more complicated/exciting when combining both tubed pre and amps in your system.

If your speakers like big power (like Martin Logan's), then a solid state amp is a 'better bang for your buck' than tubes.

YMMV.
bgross's avatar
bgross
397 posts
 
Been thinking about this a lot myself... have a simple Sonic Frontiers, SFL-1 (Electro Harmonix tube) with a Cary "Rocket 88R" (Gold Lion and Raytheon tubes). Speakers in and out although right now a pair of very efficient Equation "7". It all plays incredibly. System synergy being the primary quality although the Equations are special. I have a chance to try out some interesting pieces. 1st, sub out the SFL-1 for a Luxman (Lab Series) 5C50 preamp. See how that plays and then pull the Cary for a Class A Sugden, Bijou Ampmaster. Going to play around a bit and see where, if any, the improvement lies. Nice to have access to such fine components
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