Adding tube sound to my SS system

@ghdprentice

I guess it just depends on your range of experience with various DAC’s. I relied on the opinions of all these experts with a wide range of experience - to select the Yggy, which I’ve found to be everything they reported it to be...

https://www.schiit.com/products/yggdrasil

It seems to have a "magical," rich, warm, yet detailed, resolved sound and soundstage (an almost analog sound) - that I don’t find in many DAC’s, other than pehaps, some of the better "ladder DAC’s."

But then... I was using the MC2 Zen ASU/EBU Digital cable (which is the best type of digital interface) into the ARC Ref 5se Tube Preamp - which may make a difference!

I have an Aesthetics Signature line preamp as well as an Aesthetics Signature phono preamp.  They are both tube preamps.  They feed into a couple of large Krell SS amps.You get that smooth warm sound of tubes and the great unlimited dynamic sound of the SS amps.

I am more of a novice on these things. I like using a tube preamp with a SS class A amp.

Now I am using a McIntosh 110z  preamp with a first watt j2 class A amp, spinning records on a thorns 124.. 

A very musical presence and quite a kick in the low ends.

If you need more power try a Threshold 400 A.

I suggest the OP could use a few more direct thoughts on what he experienced, which was that a switch in preamps provided engaging midrange but a lack of bass and soundstage...perhaps that means HF detail to pinpoint stereo image?

Keep in mind this may have nothing to do with tubes at all. Much of the sound quality of a component system comes from the relationship and synergy of the components.  

This is nowhere more true than the match between preamp and amp.  Impedance, how hot the signal is...very relevant stuff.  

Additionally, if the OP always has loudness on with his preamp, then either (1) he isn't actually that fond of its sound or (2) he listens at low volumes.

My suggestion:  try different preamps until you get an amp match (or I suppose vice versa - but I'm presuming the amp and speakers are a good match to eliminate variables). 

For example - you use the Lumin to control volume...try that directly to the power amp.  Not my jam -- I have found I strongly prefer an actual active preamp in my system -- but it is worth it to get a sense of what needs effort. 

See if you can borrow a couple other preamps. Or do the math and find one that matches the power amp. 

Finally, I have found that tube buffers are a bit more of a novelty than anything else - one thing to actual use tubes in the necessary circuitry, but a tube buffer really cannot do more than coloration.  At least the ones I am aware of - perhaps some help with component matching or similar (in which case put it b/w the pre- and the power amp). 

My bottom line is that being somewhat analytical about upgrade paths is going to help you get to your objectives faster than just pulling out the wallet or taking gear recommendations from posters with different systems, different rooms, and different ears. 

To me, matching gear is at least equally important to some perceived "gear quality" based on price or similar factors. Secondarily, people are constantly surprised at how toe-in (or not) on speakers, and adjusting front and rear feet on them, can make a massive difference. 

I don't have the space for a full tube preamp. But a tube buffer is another matter. In my big desktop system (SS headphone amp/preamp [Violectric V281], class D amps [Bel Canto 600Ms], speakers [Harbeth 30.1s] and sub [JLAudio e110], I use a DAC that combines old-school Philips chips + a tube output buffer: the MHDT Labs Orchid. I have the best NOS buffer tube plus adapter that I could find.

The results are subtle and all positive. There is obviously real synergy in this collection of components. When I switch in a "better," more expensive NOS DAC, the Metrum Onyx, the sound via speakers is not quite the same. Yet in a different, headphone-only system also using the Violectric V281, the Only easily betters the Orchid.

(synergy)