2. amps-preamps
  3. 166761-976

Your tube preamp and ss amp thread

Last night I was listening to my tube preamp and my tube mono blocks, noticed an imbalance in the sound, and as usual I traced it to a tube problem in the mono blocks. Luckily, I also own a ss stereo amp as a 'backup'. IME, ss amps tend to be a lot more reliable than tube amps. Nonetheless, I would be interested in how many other folk run a tube preamp and ss amp combo, and if so, what are your choices.
128x128daveyf
avanti1960
1,474 posts
 
Cary Audio SLP-05 feeding a Parasound a21+.  Incredibly good, especially with NOS Sylvania tubes.  
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
Over decades I've had far less trouble with tube amps than SS stuff for home audio...plus, ask any electric guitar player.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,871 posts
 
@wolf_garcia  Guitar players dont really care how much distortion the tube gives off...in fact the more the better. Not a good analogy with home audio, IMHO.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
I specifically mentioned home audio, and the guitar player analogy relates to the reliability of tube gear in general, with professional tube amps seeming far more reliable than solid state. Guitar players play clean and otherwise and generally put gear through much more abuse than pampered home amps. My experience is with both a home audio hobby and a pro gear career. 
fiesta75
1,378 posts
 
I totally disagree with the tube reliability. SS is more reliable in both use options. I don't pamper my SS, run wide open sometimes with 6 kW output, 42 years old, only changed caps.  
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