2. amps-preamps
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Tubes vs. solid state.

I just switched back to my ss equipment and can't see how I listened to ss for so many years and thought that I had a good system, maybe the equipment needs to be left on for some time.
But regardless of that, the difference is startling. I know that my tube equipment is not the same degree of excellence as my ss, but now ss sounds lean, thin lifeless. Have my listening priorities changed? One thing I noticed; my listening perception adapts to the sound present in the room. As I write this the sound is improving incremently.
Anyone share the same experience??
I will post as I will continue to listen and notice differences.
Ss is simaudio p-5 w-5, tubes are Cj premier 4 amp and audio experience a2se preamp.
Are there ss preamps that will satisfy or am I smitten by bubes I mean tubes.
pedrillo
thorman
1,262 posts
 
I don't know about bubes but tubes are hard to get away from....I guess so are bubes.........
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
Is the romance over? I don't think so. Best to check out some system other then your own, say at a dealer that has a good stock of tubes and SS. I have both, and I always go back to tubes, especially if the source is analogue. I have never found SS to equal the sound of great vinyl played through a chain of tubes. Hey, I've been at this for fifty years. I started with tubes and always come back to them.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Our ear/brains are quite adaptable over a wide range of listening situations. My sense is that if we like the music we're listening to, we adjust our internal processors to get the most sonic happiness out of the experience, hence our audio systems will sound best after we've settled into focusing on what we want to hear.

Also, those times when it all sounds like horse hockey, chances are it's our emotional state getting in the way of satisfaction and not system performance. This is in part what keeps the audio business going.
mitch2
3,754 posts
 
I really like the sound of tubes, but for now, for simplicity and low noise, I am satisfied with SS Clayton Class A amps and TEAD Vibe/Pulse preamp, which are the opposite of "thin and lifeless." I do have a tubed output stage in my CD player, but only 2 tubes to worry about.
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