2. amps-preamps
  3. 1261021553

tube pre amp plus solid state power amps?

HI there,
My systems have always been tube system all the way through phon stage + pre amp+ power amps, but recently I got a little tire of maintenance of these amps and thought about changing power amps to solid state. I listen classical music. I always love tube amp particular from my LP collection. I am worrying about using solid state power amp will loose the texture of the sound that I like. However, I have done a little reading, some one said high end power amps will keep that sound, especially something like McCormack DNA-500 and Claytons amps. There are some writing confuse me, such as: β€œit is not important to use tube phon stage, solid state will be better.” I even read the statement says: pre amp is the least important of the whole audio chain.”

Well, what I am thinking about is keep tube system for both my phon stage and pre amp, use solid state for power amps replace tube system. Does anyone can tell me this will be a good change, or I need either whole system on tubes or on solid state?

Thanks
suikang
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
That J2 is very, very tempting in the search for an SS amp that might serve the listening preference of those that prefer tubes, and I see it had a 100kohm input impedance. Nelson must have figured out that many folks wanting to use his amps might have tube preamps. Darn, I can feel the temptation coming on....
Post removed 
mooglie
101 posts
 
I use a Modwright 9.0 SE Signature Truth on my Son of Ampzilla 2000. It sounds very nice. Fairly "tubey" in terms of harmonics and soundstaging, yet still very dynamic and detailed.
phd
1,320 posts
 
Yes I know the feeling in regards to tube amp maintenance and the desire to try a ss amp. There is nothing wrong with experimentation, only you can come to a conclusion what sounds good with your speakers, in your room. Whoever said that the preamp plays an insignificant role in the audio chain is completely wrong, the choice here can make or break a system. Actually everything in your system is important right down to the interconnects and power cords. Granted, some components are less impacted than others with a quality aftermarket power cord and trying different interconnects are system dependent (hit & miss) but experimentation here is necessary to reach a sound that is desirable to you.

With my speakers and a VTL tube preamp, an upgraded PS Audio HCA-2 (digital switching amp) has done the trick, the sound is warm, detailed, full bodied yet very musical & engaging. Excellent midbass and texturing provides a luxurious sound quality only to be challenged by the best of some all-tube systems in my opinion.
larryi
4,033 posts
 
A friend of mine has the new J2 amp which he uses on a very high efficiency horn based system (105 db/w) and on some fairly low efficiency mini monitors. I believe he was using the Levinson No. 32 preamp in order to go fully balanced all the way from his SACD source to the amp. I thought the sound was quite good -- grain free, clear, and reasonably free of the artificial edge to the attack of the note and unnatural decay of notes that often characterizes solid state sound.

However, it would not be an alternative to most solid state amps because it is quite low in output (something like 20 watts, if I recall correctly).
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