What Solid State PreAmp?

I now run all tube amplification (linestage, phono and amp), but I do own a couple of solid state linestages (Placette Active and Levinson No. 32). For the money, the Placette Active is a very good linestage -- dynamic, open and detailed, and it projects a very large and realistic sounding soundstage (for a solid state unit). The Levinson is more "refined" sounding (less artificial "edginess"), but is a touch dull and unexciting compared to the Placette.

I have also heard systems with Ayre preamps that sound quite good. I like the clean, "fast" and nimble sound that Ayre electronics manage to produce while being substantially free of the artificial edge to the initial attack of notes that makes a lot of solid state gear sound a bit mechanical and artificial to me.

Mikeaudio, I know that based on your thread you are looking for a SS preamp rather a tube unit.
However I would like to suggest a tube preamp that in my opinion will not benefit from tube rolling. That preamp is the Herron Audio VTSP-3. Like Stringreen , I am also a musician, violinist by training and have played for years, and this preamp is the best at rendering musical satisfaction that I have used. It gets all aspects right in MHO. You should check it out, I do not think tah you will be dis-satisfied.

Dave,

Your Woo unit is a nice lil headphone amp but it is NOWHERE NOWHERE NEAR even a "good" tube pre. I had one too and used it as a linestage occasionally so I know.

Defining/deciding what tubes are "accurate" is no different than answering the same question for transistors, op-amps, resistors, capacitors, etc.

Paulfobrecht said:

"...Defining/deciding what tubes are "accurate" is no different than answering the same question for transistors, op-amps, resistors, capacitors, etc...."

Agreed, but why then do people think it's an advantage to tube roll. I want my designer to use his decades of knowledge and pick the right parts for me and not have to worry about those part burning out and becoming unreplaceable.

My point is that tube rolling is NOT an advantage of tubes.

Dave

Dcstep,

Manufacturers pick the tubes they put into new equipment based primarily on practical considerations -- cost, reliability of continued supply (meaning new, not vintage stock), and reasonably good sound.

But, there is no way for a manufacturer to know what sound any particular customer would favor based on that customer's taste and complement of other equipment. Given differences in taste/need, it does not make sense for a manufacturer to spend a LOT of money on NOS tubes that may actually sound worse to a particular customer.

There is no consensus on what is "better," that is why the ability to make changes to the sound by the relatively simple act of changing tubes is a good thing.