2. amps-preamps
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can a tube-o-phile be happy with ss?

I switched to tubes over a decade ago, after realizing that I no longer listened to the stereo because it did not sound like real music and ss and digital were irritating, on a subconscious level. Went to all tubes and mostly LP's. It worked. I even prefer triode with no negative feedback settings, usually. Now ss has supposedly improved, and its advantages beckon, e.g., less heat, electricity and trouble, better bass and perhaps more detail and clarity. Have any of you voluntarily gone back to the dark side and been content? (with the understanding that it never really ends, for an audiophile). On an unlimited budget one might have few complaints, but this question is necessarily in the context of a semblance of fiscal sanity, not top of the line Boulder, Ayre or Zanden.
128x128lloydc
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
Newbie
...now that's funny. Thanks. For a good long while mine was listening to wires.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Markwatkiss, the wine analogy is very apt. . . I would even push it so far as saying that most wines are sadly poor, with reds and whites tending to the 'terrible' each in their own idiosyncratic ways. . . then there are a few marvellous ones. . . red, white, and some. . . rose. . . . and so are stereo components. I do confess of having a preference for certain full bodied reds, yet I do recognize cheerily that SS is not necessarily for everyone.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Chad has it right.

Hearing a pair of Apogee Duettas or Scintillas with a high quality solid state amp is a breathtaking experience.

Given all the makes and models of loudspeakers available, past and present, a one size fits all approach makes no sense.
detlof
1,899 posts
 
I loved Chad's and Newbee's posts, had a similar reaction to Jadis like Loki1957 a few years back and completely agree with Bill.
After a few sleepless nights and finally throwing fiscal sanity completely overboard (following the late Harvey Rosenberg's suggestion what to do with the female members of your family, when the audiophile lust overcomes you) I settled both for a Boulder and a Wavac phono preamp. Both bought here used. Of course they sound different, but I would be completely happy with either of them. At the beginning I thought of reselling the one I preferred less but now I find that I use the Wavac generally with chamber music, voices and small jazz combos and the Boulder, which contrary to suggestions in their literature, I had to tweak with Walker's Valid Points to make it sound right for my ears (the Wavacs rest on SRA bases)comes into play with large orchestra, opera and generally when I want slam next to finesse. My subs are solid state of course, but my tweeters, the aCapella ion tweeters are tube driven.
So I run a happy mix of gear, the choice of which my ears decided for me. The discussion which technology is better is completely moot, I find. There are "musical" rigs and "hifi" rigs, rigs set up by concert goers and rigs set up by review readers, a distinction of course not made with a fine comb, but these differences are possibly more worth while to pursue and discuss, or music lovers versus gear lovers at that, than SS versus tube. That I use tube amplification with my Sound Labs, (VTL Siegfrieds and the Atma MA2 Mk3s) was more dictated by my choice of speakers than by any preference for tubes.
wavetrader
260 posts
 
Lloydc wrote....

"I even prefer triode with no negative feedback settings, usually."

Maybe there are SS amps that sound like my VAC140's..but I doubt it. But I have a modified Accuphase P300 and could live with it as my only amp gladly. Although the P300 sounds lean in comparison to the triode....This particular SS amp has inner detail,transparency,and a smoothness that really suprises me...I like it a great deal. Yes....you too can find happiness....two is better than one. Btw What preamp do you use?
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