is getting a tube pre a valid option with ss amp?

Get a tube power amp and an SS preamp. I assure you that there is unending ignorance about what truly gives you tube magic. NO NO NO tubes do not dull or mute the sound they actually as a rule brighten the sound. The tube magic is only describable when you have heard it but think of holographic imaging and tonal beauty. doing the tube pre on top of a hashy chiseling SS amp won't do didly.

Most tube pres are cap coupled. Some tube pres are reputed to leak DC. If one wants to mate a tube pre with a ss amp, it is might be better to use a low output impedance tube pre and a high input impedance, cap coupled ss amp. There are a few DC coupled (like: Atmasphere and Sonic Frontiers) tube pres that make exceptions to those guidelines.

I am a bit leery about any theoretical attempts to "compensate" for certain qualities or tendencies by finding another component with supposedly opposite qualities. This hardly ever works out as hoped, and for the most part results are unpredictable.

In particular, I have found the behavior of systems with tube linestage/preamps and solid state amps unpredictable and most often unsatisfying. Of course certain specific combinations in certain specific systems will work, but, again, only trial and error will tell (a friend makes such switches all the time for fun, but he has well over a dozen amps and almost as many preamps and a half dozen speaker systems). It is a tempting combination if someone "needs" the power that is most easily obtained from solid state but hopes for "tube magic."

I bet everyone has a little bit different ideas about tube magic, but Mechans description of holographic imaging and tonal beauty and lack of "chiseling" comes close. I would add that this "magic" also involves notes seeming to bloom naturally into space, without an artificial "edge" and for the entire space to be filled with ambient "hall" sounds. To me, that is only really achieved in full measure going all tube, and even then, you get so much more going triode (vs. pentode), and single-ended (provided you have suitable speakers).

I have gotten much better, and more predictable results results with a solid state preamp into tube amps than the reverse. I own, though I no longer use, a Placette Active linestage and a Levinson No. 32 preamp. Both work very well with ANY amp I've tried them with. But, my current tube front end -- Emotive Audio Epifania and Viva Fono, work much better.

There are some operational issues with using a tube linestage and solid state amp if you plan on leaving the amp on all the time (solid state gear takes MUCH longer to fully warm up, so it is often left on all the time). Some tube gear will emit loud noise on turn on, and perhaps, on turn off. This noise may come through even when there is a mute button. That means one cannot turn off the tube linestage without first turning off the amp if one wants to avoid this noise.

I should say that I don't dislike solid state amps; some manage to tame the "chiseling," though often by sounding a touch dull and lifeless when it comes to small dynamic changes. If you have a pair of speakers and a setup that truly NEEDS power (most people overestimate their needs here), it may be the only practical way to go. If that is the case, I would look first to a solid state linestage before trying to find a tube unit.

Larryi,
Intersting thoughts. I have only used one tube preamp, the AES/Cary DJH, and it worked wonderfully with the Pass Labs Aleph 30 and Linn Klout poweramps. These amps where natural and accurate in there own right and adding tubes improved on their good qualities with not draw backs.

The Cary 308CD's variable output directly into the Pass was more intimate and immediate, but less human and 3D sounding than with a tube pre. The Cary cdp/AES pre/Pass amp system is still one off my favorite systems. Although my current tube AES Superamp 2 is quite remarkable.

I didn't have the Cary cdp at the time of the Linn amp or the DJH pre at the time I had a Classe and AES power amps, so these are my limited experiences.

I just added a c2300 Mcintosh tube pre to my Mc MC402 SS power amp. The difference was noticeable. The power amp I thought sounded great - nice and smooth - but because I wanted tone controls, a 12 v trigger, and because the input sensitivity is relatively low on the power amp - I bought a pre amp. It's got that nice tube sound and interestingly as someone stated above I think it did add just a touch of brightness but in a good way. The sound really reminds me of listening to records in the 70s. I just kick back and listen to the music. If I had to say, it sounds better with classical, vocal, and slower music than it does with heavy rock music. Not that rock sounds bad but it's just so enjoyable to listen to classical now. May be my advancing age...