2. amps-preamps
  3. 174207-10803

Can one have too many tube components in a system?

Especially if one has sensitive speakers? For myself with ZU Omen defs, I have to keep an eye on the gain of the amps I choose since my BHK runs tubes. If gain is too high, tube hiss becomes an issue. However, I see people with tubed amp, tube pre, tubed phono pre, tubed dac......doesn't the tube his (just like tape hiss every time you copy a tape over and over) intensify with every component? Or to pull this off one needs less efficient speakers?

aberyclark
jim5559
604 posts
 

I have been a tube freak for 50 years , must out there is scam and 

the best there just plain old .  Even just laying  there for 50 years has its effect .

I have to to give in to D .

dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,404 posts
 

Depends upon the quality of your tube gear and properly functioning tubes, particularly with higher efficiency speakers. Using all tubes in front of 96db speakers and all is dead quiet. ZOTL LTA UL amps are noiseless as are my Herron pre and phono. Tubes AND Zero Noise are essential in getting great sound IMHO.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,893 posts
 

Generally speaking, no ....   I do like my DAC to be solid state though

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,893 posts
 

As stated above, they need to be high quality to begin with and have ZERO noise 

sns
3,265 posts
 

Nope, not if equipment well designed, good AC, proper grounding, quality tubes. One of my amps 845SET matched to 104db sensitivity speakers, a bit more noise than 300B SET's, still not obtrusive.

I too like my dac solid state. Ran a tube dac with other tube equipment in past system, that was only time I experienced excessive tubes in system, although not because of tube hiss.

More to discover