2. amps-preamps
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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
vinylvalet
916 posts
 
Some manufacturers build tube phono and line stages and solid state amps for good reason. Keith Herron comes to mind. You often see the same philosophy in integrated amps as well.

I preferred most of my systems that way until I heard the Coda 06x and 07x; rethinking the whole equation.
mjmckeon
1 posts
 
I've had a BAT VK5i and VK-500 for nearly 20 years. To my ears, the sound is sublime.
chilehed's avatar
chilehed
200 posts
 
Backert Labs 1.3X to Pass 250.8 works really well....of course there are so many other variables but in my room the dynamics are incredible and the soundstage is vivid.
garyalex
117 posts
 
Cary Audio SLP-05 & First Watt M2x (DIY Version)
bipolarman
2 posts
 
When I first got into this hobby on a serious level, I always ran an ARC tube preamp - SP6, SP10, SP11 with a Threshold Solid State Class A biased power amp - 400A, SA4e, SA12e x2 - and I never really incurred any issues regarding channel balance,  etc. Things were so much simpler back then and matched dual triodes were much much cheaper ;-).
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