Tube preamp topologies and music

gochurchgo

I can highly recommend the tube amplifiers and preamplifiers of Aric Audio, and I agree that a "Push Pull" configuration might best provide what you are looking for. Give Aric Kimball (owner of Aric Audio) a call, he builds 7 different amplifiers with several different topologies.

He's great to have a conversation with and get some feedback; and he makes killer hand built tube gear, I've got several of his pieces including an EL34 "Push Pull" that is extraordinary.

@gochurchgo There are now class D amps that have the same distortion character as the best tube amps (but lower overall). Distortion is why tube amps sound the way they do, just as distortion is why most solid state amps sound harsh and bright. Put another way, the sonic signature of any amplifier is caused by its distortion signature.

So if you want an amplifier that is smooth, detailed and involving, you are not limited to tubes any more. Some (certainly not all) class D amps have a distortion signature that is identical to the best tube amps and so sound just like them too (although are more transparent owing to distortion being lower overall).

@gochurchgo Wrote:

So Probably a push/pull design would fare better? 

Yes. In my opinion, a push/pull class (A) tube amp would fare better, less distortion and more power than a single-ended class (A) design. Rogers High fidelity makes class (A) single-ended and class (A) push pull tube amps see here. 😎

Mike

I owned a Rogers EHF 200 and while it had gobs of power (KT150 / 127wpc) it was nowhere near as sweet and detailed as the Raven Osprey (6L6GC / 35wpc) that it replaced at less than 1/3 the cost  of the EHF (list price) and the Rogers is virtually impossible to resell with the “transferable lifetime warranty”.

I talked to an Audio Note dealer who said he listens to Slayer as well as drum and bass on a  Meishu (300b).

no AN dealers in my state but I’m even more lost now.