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How do you add color?

For those of you who are adherents of straight wire, ruler flat frequency response, accurate and neutral sound, artists’ true intentions, etc. ... please stop reading now. You’ve been warned. If you continue to read, you might get heartburn and since I’m a nice guy, I don’t want to do that to you.

Now, for those who are not opposed to adding a bit of color and flavor to tune/tweak the sound to their liking, what is your preferred method of madness? Speakers, amps, preamps, DACs, cables? I know many who like the combination of solid state amps with tube preamps. Lately, a lot of upmarket DACs are using tubes (Lampizator) or R2R to add a sort of tube-like flavoring. Let’s say you’re happy with your solid state amp but want to add a bit of tube magic to the chain, would you get there by way of tube preamps or tube DACs? Or both -- which might be too much of a good thing perhaps?

128x128arafiq
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,814 posts
 

@arafiq Thanks for a nice thread. Enjoying it!

For now, I’m thinking of trying a tube preamp with my SS amp.

I really enjoy going back and forth from non-tube to tube preamp with my Pass XA-25. At first I enjoyed a preamp with an 12AT7 tube input (2 tubes). But once I tried a 6SN7 tube, I sold my first preamp without any regrets. If there's a good match between preamp and amp, you may hear what I did: a really inviting, smooth, more spacious soundstage and a midrange that really draws you in. Seductive is the word. Of course, there are many differences between systems, but those who love the 6SN7 used these types of descriptions and I found them apropos even in my room, with my speakers, etc. 

vthokie83
658 posts
 

Call it what you will, but certain components can "mold" a sound that can be more enjoyable to some people. and less enjoyable to others.

Tube pre-amps, specific pre-amp tubes, R2R ladder DACs, cables, and speakers are all going to "mold" the sound. Some people are more sensitive to sibilance or brightness (I am one of those people) so I much prefer copper cables over silver, R2R ladder DACs over chipsets and Delta Sigma, Amperex and Mullard NOS tubes versus new production, and more laid back speakers (Buchardt Audio S400 MKII, Tannoy, Fyne Audio, vintage Infinity RS Kappa 7, Thiel, and Joseph Audio (though others may disagree there).

The sound I'm after is something I can listen to all day, provides detail without brightness, has great imaging and soundstage, is fun, and provides good immediacy without hitting me over the head with it. The journey continues

toro3's avatar
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toro3
301 posts
 

@vthokie83 +1 with your description of what you prefer (so well said) - this is extremely close to my sound preferences, but I’ve never been good at articulating. 

Audiogon Friend Request sent!!!

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,075 posts
 

“Timbre, texture, tonality is what helps you get emotionally connected with your music.”
+1000 @arafiq well said! And both SS and Tube components are equally adept at delivering these qualities. The rub lies in one’s ability to identify such components and able to put them together into a system that connects you with the music at much deeper levels. 

jeffrey125
282 posts
 

I use a Crayon Amplifer for color, tonality, timbre and texture. 

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