Tube buffer or tube preamp

I would find what is causing the harshness and not add another box to mask a problem.

Chuck

Czbbcl got it right. Ya, what he says. Tell us what you have and a little about your room.

"07-11-13: Tonyangel
Oh, I also meant to ask, are you thinking of a tube pre amp because you want the tubey sound or because you just want to get rid of the harshness?"

That's the question a lot more people need to be asking. Should I use a band aid or fix the problem for real? This is probably the most common issue on this web site. Fixing the problem is usually harder to do but you are much more likely to be happy with the results. Quite often you find that you don't need to use tubes. The best way to be successful is to get as much hands on experiance as you can and try not to rely on things like equipment reviews.

Tube amplification is tube ampification. Buffer, preamp, doesn't really matter as long as done well and has synergy with the rest. Both can yield results ranging from really good to poor. Ic used with separate buffer will matter also.