Solid state to tube


I have been a solid state guy since my start in this hobby. Over the years I have built a few systems and have used mainly older YBA seperates pre and power for my front end.

I also have a pair of musetex MT101 mono blocks from Meitner audio which I use as well.

My speakers are reference 3a lintegre

I am thinking of moving to a all tube system 

. However I have little experience

I have looked at Quick Silver and a small boutique builder called Will Vincent. Have not heard anything yet. I thought I might inquire here first for any suggestions from tube savvy members

ecpninja

Quicksilver all the way. I love my Quicksilver Mid monos, and phono stage. 

Thanks for all the great help.

Based on what I have read here I might hold off on going to a tube power amp. I will try a tube pre amp first and run it with my current YBA 1 solid state amp.

I will also try with my Meitner mono blocks to see which I prefer.

I currently use a older YBA signature pre amp with seperate power supply I think when I purchased it back in 2002 it was 10k so I wonder at what price point I will need to be at to get a comparable tube pre

Is your budget for the preamp (only) still around $3K?

I looked up the input impedance of what I believe to be your SS power amps and they were in the 20K-27K range.

Both should mate fine with contemporary tube preamps, but it wouldn't hurt to throw out the model number of the preamp(s) you are seriously considering.

Never heard Meitner and the only YBA was an integrated amp a long time ago.

I did have a CD player and an integrated from YBA's super budget line (forget the name), but they were just OK and nothing like the YBA branded amp.

 

DeKay

 

 

The YBA model is a YBA1 high current it was 1 step below their top of line which at that time was the signature line.

I have decided on any tube pre amps but that 3k mark would still be my budget.

I didn't really have any short list for tube preamps.

I only really use a dedicated streamer

And dedicated dac. Apparently I have just been informed that my DAC has a great volume control and can act as a pre amp.

My DAC is a French mfg called TotalDAC

 

Does your TotalDAC model have a tube output stage?

I saw one model/version using 12au7 tubes, another with 6dj8's and another without tubes.

Interesting gear.

I just looked @ the Linear Tube Audio (LTA) site and their MZ2 model is sold out.

 

DeKay