SS or tube preamp? Which one?

I vote for the tubed Sonic Frontiers Line 1 or 2-- smooth, neutral sounding, lots of features for movies or just audio, and a great remote. Good Hunting. Craig

audio999: you're really john updike, right, and just tryin' to get a rise out of us by pretending to be one of the guys who writes service manuals for hundai? and, oh yeah, i've tried to watch movies on that overwrought jadis gear you keep pushin' and COULDN'T EVEN GET A PICTURE!!! tried rollin' tubes and everything!!! no luck!!! maybe should go i back to my country and renew career writing those sayings inside going fortune cookies. -kerry

I second (or third, etc.) the vote for tubes, for music. No opinion regarding Ht.

My experience is similar to many you will read about on your post and others on this subject. I purchased a SS amp and a tube pre. Rather expensive amp, highly regarded in the press, and reputation for musicality, yet extended, powerful and "tube-like".

Then, for fun, I experimented with a $550 Antique Sound Lab tube integrated, and first thing you know it's late at night and the stereo is still on, and I never noticed the time. That never happened with the expensive SS amp. What does this have to do with pre-amp? Simple. Tried a few and purchased the Rogue 99 (4 x 6SN7 tubes), and the world is a better place.

I think you will find that if you experiment with both, using the amp of your choice, you will find tubes to be more musical, with no listener fatigue. By the way, I highly recommend the Rogue 99, but try any of the good ones, and I think you will find there are several that are excellent. Good luck!

I like tubes as well, but keep this in mind: many movies have artificial dynamics and deep bass sound effects which are not present in quality Jazz and Classical music recordings. Tubes are for music, not car crashses, automatic weapons fire and the obligatory helicopter explosion. The best compromise may be a tube preamp and ss amps.
Good Listening!

Not to ingnore the invective, but for useful suggestions. The Bryston SP-1 is and excellent surround Sound unit and also VERY respectable for 2-channel. The Bryston components have great synergy when used together. The tube SS question is too metaphysical for this venue and you must use your own ears, but for HT tube is not very convenient and it does not match the Bryston well in any case.