TUBE! Once you tube you'll never untube (pardon my english). I've had a CJpv10 for 6 years and had the 17ls on loan for a month, driving a ss classe amp. The pv10 is a giant killer in terms of performance vs price, smooth, warm, and crystal clear. The 17ls is in another league, all of the above with more detail and refinement and 4 times as expensive. I replace tubes about once a year. I'm not a big tweaker, the cj stock tubes work for me. The only time I'm bothered by tubes is when I'm burning in something like cables, 200 hrs sometimes, the life of a preamp tube is about 1000 hours, YMMV. Lots of people upgrading - you can get one for around $500 used and resell if you don't like, good investment. Good luck.
To tube or not to tube...
I'm interested in upgrading my preamp and have been considering going to a tubed preamp coupled with SS power amp. I hesitate because of the reliability factor. You see, I grew up in the era of tube television sets, so it was a periodic chore to unplug all the tubes from the TV and haul 'em down to the local drugstore's tube tester. We'd wind up replacing a handful of tubes, and then be amazed at how much better the picture and sound was. A year later the drill would repeat. What's the situation with tubed preamps? I see a lot of discussion about trying this brand of tube or the other... I'm wondering how much of that "improvement" is due simply to replacement of weak tubes with fresh ones. What kind of life can one expect from the tubes in a tubed preamp? How much does the sound deteriorate over time as the tubes wear out? Are tubed preamps intended only for those who want and like to fiddle with the innards of their equipment?
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- 18 posts total
- 18 posts total