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Tube then Class D

Dear wizards: 

If I take a Willeston Tube amp and use it as a phono preamp them run it thru my old NAD M2 class D amp will I retain the tube warm when I get to my magnapan 1.7's?

I have my VPI Scoutmaster in for repair and a new Grado Sonata cartridge and a new pre-amp a SHIIT Mani2.  My question is, prospectively,  is IF I were to use a tube amp something I can afford (Willeston R8)  Will the class D mask out the tube warm.   I has also have two PSB subs

Is what I am thinking even reasonable or doable?    I'd rather hear the laughter now than my crying after paying for a tube pre-amp.   

Thanks in advance for any insights.

Joe M2

 

128x128joem2
jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

NO! Tubes are not "warm" sounding devices! They get hot and glow. This has visual appeal but nothing to do with sonic quality. A tube circuit amplifies an electric signal with more or less distortion. Transistors do the same - only with less noise/distortion. Either tube or transistor circuits can be engineered to have identical harmonic distortion/noise. But the transistor circuit will not degrade over time, unlike the tube circuit. My advice is if you really want a warmer sound change your speakers - not the electronics!

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

Don't listen to the about-to-chime-in tube fanatics! I have a large collection of tube gear but I am realistic enough to recognize its limitations.

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

That Willeston tube amp has an output impedance of several ohms. It will interact with any speaker's impedance curve and act as a tone control. Do you really want to subject your music to a tone control you can't turn off?

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