If you’re not sure whether you want tube or SS sound, check out the 6H30 based preamps. Great tube! Super clean, linear, and resolving.
If you want a more traditional "sweet" tube sound, I'd stick to those that use 6922 or 6SN7 in their circuit.
Tube Vs. SS Preamps
Oddly in +25 yrs in the hobby, I’ve never really owned a tube preamp. Can you comment on what the differences are in general sonic terms? I want a really fatigue free sound with lots of body (I run class A and class AB solid state amps).
Do you find SS preamps to be fatiguing typically, more so on average than tube ones? Or is it simply the added bloom that's appealing with tube preamps?
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I use an MSB S-200 SS power amp, and a Herron Audio tube preamp; it's a great preamp, cause it looks like it's SS - no tubes sticking out anywhere and the sound is about as neutral as you can get with tubes; works very well with the MSB as that is a very uncolored amp.... I let the speakers supply the warmth I like.... |
@jjss49 perfectly worded my observations. @mulveling 's advice matches my experience. After using I number of 6922/6DJ8 and other "roller" preamps, I found more satisfaction with a 6H30-based design, used in many BAT & Audio Research models. Some may see a downside in no compatibility with all the legendary, exotic vintage tubes. I've overcome that by wearing the Amperex Bugle Boy logo on a tshirt while I listen to my 6H30s. Cheers, Spencer |
I like Macs most of them.. I love the older C11,20,22 or the MX110z they are all wonderful when restored or not, depends.. I really like some of the SS pres . C45, MX120, 121, and 150. I like my C2500 too, what a nice preamp.. Macs are simple to please. Use Telefunken valves in their preamps.. If you do work on the units stay away from yellow polly cap rebuilds.. They were built with PIO, rebuild with PIO.. LEAVE the Black Beauties.. Regards |
As others have described above, I find tube to offer sound with better texture, saturated harmonics and a presentation that seems to bloom naturally into the listening space. I think good solid state can sound smooth, natural and lacking in artificial edginess, but, I tend to find something missing that makes the sound seem flat and less engaging. I own a pretty decent solid state linestage (Levinson No. 32) but, I prefer my custom-built tube linestage (310 tube). While you may get a "taste" of tube sound with a tube linestage, I think the electronic component that has the biggest impact is the amplifier. The right tube amplifier will make a huge difference (the wrong one likewise will sound quite bad). It is harder to find the amp that will mate well with a particular speaker than it is to match any other components, but, that is, to me, the big step in improving one's system. |
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