2. amps-preamps
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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?

greg7
ditusa's avatar
ditusa
1,887 posts
 

+2 On the Schiit Freya + preamp.

larryi
4,025 posts
 

One more thing worth mentioning--some tube linestages do not play well with some solid state amps even when the output impedance of the linestage is low enough that the two should be electrically compatible.  I don't know why that is the case, but, on several occasions, I found this to be true.  The "bad" sound is an overly warm and muddled sound that is also dynamically constricted (the so-called tube sound on steroids).  It might also just be the case that tube linestages, as is the case with all tube gear, vary much more in sound than do top solid state gear which tends to sound much more uniform.  A trial is before purchase is highly recommended for all gear, and it is particularly required for tube gear.  

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cleeds
5,957 posts
 
daledeee1
2

... I worked with Vacuum Tube Audio and have a passive tube buffer playing right now ...

Really? The tube buffer has no active circuitry?

femoore12's avatar
femoore12
683 posts
 

I completely recommend a tube pre-amp. I have a McIntosh C2700 and couldn’t be happier with the sound. 

gammajo's avatar
gammajo
846 posts
 

Spencer and those using 6H30 tubes, you can indeed tube roll the 6H30s. The Russian Reflektor 6h30s from late 1970's to early 1980 have a special sound, much enhanced over the standard Supertube 6h30's. I used them in Ayon equipment. I still have a few pair of the Reflektors from 1979 and 1980. I have moved on from Ayon due reliability issues with Ayon. Now using 300B in Vinni Rossi Integrated. PM me if interested

Joe

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