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Tube vs. SS Dilemma

Hi there Audiogon Community
Need some serious help and don’t know who to talk to but you guys. I have been upgrading my system for the past year and a half now, selling and buying stuff. First I went the tube route, bought an Atlas Magnum Amp, Cary SLP 03 Tube Preamp, was dreaming the liquidy tube dream, was amazed at the upgrade from an old and tired hybrid amp I had. Sources: estoteric DV50 for cd and vinyl via a Lenco TT and Ear Phono. Mainly listen to jazz, classic rock and some bits of classical.
But got a hold of a Mark Levinson Preamp, a 380 model and had a spare Krell 250a amp, hook the esoteric cd player to this second setup and was just blown away, I always thought that my heart would always be glowing with tubes or at least a tube/ss setup, but man am I enjoying the SS turn, the bass carácter of the Krell is addictive.
So my question is: What is happening? Am I just shocked “temporarily” by the ML/Krell combo? Should I just wait for a while and do a second and third shootout between setups? Or the fact that the ML/Krell combo is much better – in terms of the models I have vs. the tube models – part of the reasons that explain the differences and should look for better tube amp/preamp before seriously comparing the two?
As soon as I listened to the ML/Krell combo, my first thought was to keep upgrading my system the ss way, instead of the tube route, but before I make drastic changes want to hear from you guys’ experience. I don’t want to make this a tube vs. ss question, therefore I hope the details of the inquiry help steer away broad answers in that regard.
Should add the speakers I’m using with all these setups: GoldenEar triton 2’s. Thanks in advance. I always enjoy reading the forum, but now I had to ask the question before declaring this a case of mild audiophile schizophrenia.
Thanks.
128x128musicgeorge11
larryi
4,047 posts
 
George,

I agree with Charles that it is good that you listened to alternatives and know what you like. My only caveat is that you should hear as much as you can of both kinds of equipment before actually deciding. There is a WIDE range of sounds for equipment from both camp and an even WIDER range of interactions between components so that it is hard to draw conclusions from just hearing one representative set of each kind. With tube gear, in particular, there is an incredible range of sound, with plenty that will sound warm and sluggish and lacking in dynamics, some with astonishingly fast and dynamic sound, and some that sound very lean and brittle.

I have not heard your specific combinations of gear. I do own a Levinson No. 32 preamp (big brother of the 380). This is a somewhat atypical solid state piece--it is very smooth and reasonably rich sounding, but is a bit "polite" sounding (dull) by top end solid state standards. Some might mistake this for being a "tube" like sound, to me it is still solid state but without an artificial "edge" to the initial attack of notes. There are other examples of solid state that will sound much more dynamic than the Levinson, so you should hear other examples to get a more complete picture.

I am currently running all tube gear and prefer that sound, but, I could easily live with the sound of some solid state amplification gear I've heard, e.g., Ayre, First Watt, Momentum. On the tube side, see if you can hear some output transformerless amps (something quite different from what one normally expects from tubes) such as Joule and Atmasphere.

I would listen to more examples of each kind-you may discover even more surprises.

Good luck on your search. It sounds like you have the right attitude and an open mind when it comes to evaluating gear.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hi Larryi,
As you pointed out,there`s such a wide range of sound quality in tube components,you can love one and totally dislike another(same for SS gear as well). You read the forums and for some people there`s much angst and frustration with choosing and building an audio system(little apparent joy). It should be fun and pleasurable. Musicgeorge11 has the happy aspect covered already so IMO just enjoy what you`ve found and avoid the obsessive behavior that`s often found in this hobby.
Charles,
french_fries
815 posts
 
Stick with the speakers you like (especially for your room) and decide what amp
complements their character. If you go to the YOUTUBE GREEK AUDIOPHILE SOCIETY video there is a guy who has been through over a dozen amps (mostly tubes) which i think is hilarious, but the point being that if you can nail those two pieces down, it will help you find the right preamp. then you have to determine if you want to be thrifty on the source component or not.
If you should someday become bored with rock and pop, it will/might push you in a very different direction than liking everything (which is fine, too).
Some rock is horribly recorded (like the freaking Beatles!) but i put on a Fleetwood Mac album the other day and "surprise" it was excellent. gee, i now wonder how the FM/Peter Greene albums sound...?
this hobby is a real "pain" (sometimes)...
musicgeorge11's avatar
musicgeorge11 OP
16 posts
 
Many thanks guys, I really appreciate this, and I acknowledge the fact that this state of affairs is not definite, as french fries says, maybe someday not only my equipment will change, but my musical tastes also.
Larryi raises a really good point I ignored, the character of the ML 380 amp., it tends to be more smooth and in a sense tube-like, maybe this aspect triggered the whole thing, the ML 380 stands in a reasonable middle place between my beloved tube gear and the now amazing SS setup I'm enjoying. In my last SS setup a nice Exposure 3010S2 Preamp was doing a good job, but, as mentioned before, the ML put things in a different perspective.
So for now I will enthusiastically grasp the SS horn of the dilemma and continue to explore.
But if possible would like to hear more from other members.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,849 posts
 
Musicgeorge11, it may be that your speakers were not particularly tube-friendly. If so you will not get your tube investment dollar out of the amps. You didn't mention your speakers in your post, so this is mere speculation. What kind are they?
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