Tubed Pre question?

It's a playground. I'm a tube guy, but right now I've got my speakers bi-amped with a 600wpc solid state amps on the bass speaker drivers and 100wpc tube amps on the tweeter/mid drivers. Gives me everything I want, bass drive/slam + purity of tone and harmonic "rightness" I associated with tubes. Oh, and my preamp is a hybrid.

YMMV. My advice would be to find the amps that work best with your speakers (assuming you're committed to the speakers). If you can find the ideal synergy, it matters a lot less whether its tube or silicon. Check owners who are happy with your speakers, and see what they're using.

With the right synergies tubes are unnecessary, and they certainly do extract penalties for reliability, heat, inefficient power use, and even a potential safety liability if you have young children wandering around. I don't think there' a magic bullet. My own experience is that I've liked the sound better most often with tubes, but I've heard some damn nice speaker/amp pairings that are NOT tube amps.

As for whether tubes work better in pre or amp, I like to have them somewhere in the signal chain. But again, design trumps materials. Listen and let your ears be your guide. And always remember: Free advice is worth what you pay for it!

HTH

I am old enough to have started with tube amps and despite occasionally trying one in later years have never regretted switching to SS. The choice between them is entirely personal one. When I built a Heathkit amp in 1963 my first thought was that I was hearing the notes as separate entities for the first time. I recently read a review which noted something of the same effect. In a comparison of a passive preamp verses a tube one the reviewer noted that at first he thought the tube was fuller on the bass end, when he listened closer he found that this was due to the tube" filling up the space between notes". I think that this is the source of the " organic" sound that appeals to many. They are just different and any attempt to prove one better is time wasted. I stated my preference but would not say it is right for everyone else. You have tubes in the area where they do best, the output stage is the weakness of tubes, as even tube designers like C-J would agree. But just buy the one you like and forget it.

I am also a tube pre (Audio Mirror Pp1) and class D (custom UCD700HG monos).

My first real serious tube setup was a pair of Mac 240s, Marantz 7c and a Pair of Chartwell LS3/5as.
Have had a few SS pieces like the McCormack TLC 1 but have always veered backed to tubes.
Now I have the Modwright 9.0se, Mac 275 and Reference 3a Grande Veenas.
Not heaven but close enough.

I find it interesting that John says that no "SS amp can stand up to a tube amp".

I have found and own an SS amp that overshadows every great tube amp I have owned and some great ones at that. Thor, CJ, Wavac, Canary and others. One of these tube amps retailed for $14,000 set!!!

So I know of at least one SS amp that has turned this tube man to SS amps. Sorry John :-)

It did take me 20 years and I still mate it with a tube preamp.