Tube sound Comes, mainly, from? Pre or Power?

I like what Al, and Swamp….. had to ssay. In so far as versatility, convenience, and matching of amps to speakers.

I would submit the degree of influence is about 50/50, be it tube pre or tube amp in conjunction with it’s alter power mate.

I have personally heard however some tube preamps which do deliver that solid harmonic richness to the mix purely SS power trains can lack. The tube amp as well plays as significant a role though in providing the retro tube sound..

So, at times I think the choice to tube pre & SS amp is to tweak things, more so than to add purely sonic gains.. Things such as brightness, thin mids, dryness, analytical sounding… etc.

A better intentional matching of a tube pre to an SS amp will indeed result in getting one closer to harmonic nirvana, but only going the whole route will insure that end.

Then too with the current state of tube amps, and preamps for that matter, the retro ‘old school’ sound is only going to come from those topologies using single ended triodes. It’s rrare in my opinion that PP tube amps can pull that sound off… fully. Push Pull will benefit some facets of the sound and give greater flexibility due to their usually higher power ratings alone, but I think exceptions aside, the SET sound is indeed the SET sound and past it, all else is compromise.

As long as ‘compromise’ isn’t out of the question, mixing tube and solid situations is a wide open affair.

I suppose it comes down to just how much of a particular sound or influenced sound, you really want.

The problem as I see it with this controversy is this… most audiophiles need two rigs. Not every stereo nut can afford to do severe justice to two rigs or do not have concomodate space for them… hence we compromise or simply remain frustrated, always seeking out another angle on how to achieve “IT”.

TWO SYSTEMS CAN BE DONE IN ONE ROOM THOUGH… using one pair of speakers… with some thoughtful matching, and swapping speaker cables! It just costs more is all. … and even then some smallish amount of concession is quite likely.

A conciliatory mind is better than one system which tries to serve two masters.… and far less expensive to own and operate.

Blindjim,

"A conciliatory mind is better than one system which tries to serve two masters.… and far less expensive to own and operate."

Very good thought, I had to learn this the hard way many years ago.
I also tend to agree with what you right about SETs. But finally, because of speaker considerations I turned to OTLs and my ears are happier for that.

Detlof

Super! Glad you found the 'fit' you were seeking.

As much as 'half measures' are just half measures, it's really what's upstairs that counts in the end. What can and does float our boat or butter our bread completely.

I hesitated to use the last word in the above sentence as it makes for a more critical turn, but there does or should, come a point where we can be satisfied. Failing to achieve such an end points more to us than to the gear we own.

I resist chasing my tail routinely. it's getting much easier to do. Very good to great is where I'll stop. Acquiring one of those, "Can't be beat" rigs is pure manifest ego personified. A 'Can't be Beat' rig, simply can't be found.... in this world... it can however be found in ones mind. I tend to call that location, 'serenity'.

If a certain thing is desired, seek out that particular thing. if only the influence of that thing is sought, be OK with only it's influence. Knowing what I want seems more my issue as my percieved wants always exceed my preponderous needs.

I really wanted the tube sound for years but felt I could instill such a sound with only SS items, or with but a portion of tubes in house. it was a very frustrating time. In truth, as I've posted and asked numerous times on this site, I've wanted the SET sound without the SET prerequisites... give me SET sound with power and speed!

Good luck with that one by the way.

I just made up my mind to acquire the tube influence wholely, and have a rig which was not quite so genre restrictive as SET outfits are. Combining a tube pre and tube monos have satisfied both my wants and needs.

I guess it is as simple as this one question: How much chocolate do you really want... and just which kind?

@mechans  It is so true! The key is the tube power amplifier and I said it  before and seem few people will accept that points.

When we talk about pre, SS pre vs Tube pre, case by case, brand by brand, there is no definitely advantage on tube.

This might be the world champion of reviving an old thread, since this one is 13 years old this year. I didn’t bother to reread the entire thing, but what most people think of as the tube sound in my mind has to do with the output transformer of tube amplifiers, which even if built to the limits of current technology will always be the limiting factor and at the most distortion of any element in a tube based signal path. Tubes themselves are wide band and very low distortion. Output transformers are imperfect and add all that cuddly warmth etc. that tube aficionados like so well. That is why I have been using output transformer-less tube amplifiers for my entire audio lifespan.