2. amps-preamps
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Think I want a tube system?

I've haven't listened to a tube system in 30 or 40 years. (I'm retired). I have several general questions. I hope y'all (South Alabama) will help me. I have a fair solid state power amp (Onkya M-504 165w per channel) No pre amp.
Which is the most important a tube pre amp or a tube power amp or both tubes. I would like to keep the power amp, but would sell if necessary. My second question is a little more complicated. If I play music from cds or internet download, isn't that digital. If I recall,digital is not an analog wave form but samples taken along it's path to reproduce an analog wave. The more samples the closer to analog. However, many people felt that no mater how many samples were taken, the nuance of a pure sound wave would be lost. If this is the case, what can tubes give me if my source is digital. Back to vinyl? Even then do they now record digital? I hope this is wrong.
rryall
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,877 posts
 
Umm Unsound, I think that you may be a little confused... SET's are amps(usually)and my argument is that the Preamp section is more important. Sure SET wouldn't drive Apogees; BUT then neither would most any other tube amp or ss amp for that matter.
So this reference seems somewhat illogical to me.
Have you actually heard a great tube preamp?...Somehow, I seriously doubt it, which is why I suggest that you do so. Maybe then you could debate the differences. I own both a tube preamp and a tube amp and a ss amp. The tube preamp is by far and away the biggest variable. Sure a tube amp sounds different than a ss amp. ( generally speaking) BUT if I were to replace my tube preamp with a typical ss preamp, then ( and BTW I have done this) the sound changes drastically. I suppose YMMV.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
I own a couple of Onkyo M-504's (although I usually use them in my hometheater)......not bad amps, but don't sound nearly as good as my Rogue Audio tube amps.

Of the speakers I own, and use a lot (Apogee Duetta Signature, VMPS Supertower/R, and Klipsch Forte....plus several smaller speakers).

The tube amps sound better than the Onkyo amps on all of them. In fairness to the Onkyo....the tube amps sound better than the two Krell amps that proceeded them (Ksa-250 and Kav-500).

Note: Old school tubes sound nothing like new school tubes.......so don't buy what you don't want, (you are the person that will need to be happy after all).

Dave
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Daveyf, The reference logically points out how important the amp(s) to speaker(s) interface is. I don't understand how you could make such an assumption. I have heard many top tube pres.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Daveyf is the confused poster here.

A tube amplifier, provided it is well matched with the speaker, will have a greater influence on the "tube sound" than any other tube component in the system.

In all fairness, he may prefer the sonic character of a tubed preamp in his system but the amplifier/speaker combination has a far greater impact on the "tube sound".
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Daveyf,
Yes a tube preamp makes a significant contribution to the overall sound of a system. But based on my experience I have to agreed with the majority here, tube power amps have a greater influence in providing the fundamental tube character of a system than do preamps. I understand your own experiences have drawn different conclusions.
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