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question about tubes, cds, etc


Hey everybody. I'm pretty new to this high end audio hobby and have a lot to learn. There aren't any high-end audio shops near where I live so I'm relying mostly on reviews and opinions etc to steer me towards quality equipment.

So far, I've picked up a primaluna prologue 2 tube amp, and a pair of gallo ref 3s (both were purchased on audiogon for bargain prices). I'm now looking for a cd deck. I've seen a couple of tube cd decks, and was wondering if they were generally a good match for tube amps... or is the purpose of a tube cd deck to make solid state gear sound "tubey"

In other words, would a tube cd player be overkill with a tube amp?

Any advice would be appreciated.
allenwilkie
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
buyer beware. anything less than a home trial creates risk.

opinions may or may not be useful. only you have your ears.

if you follow advice you may pay the price or the result may be very nice. it's a stochastic world out there.

i'll add my 2 cents. there are very very few "tubey" sounding components out there and there is no substitute for listening, even if it is at a friend's house, so you can develop an idea of the type of "sound" that appeals to you.
aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 
doo-doo-doo-doo......doo-doo-doo-doo... allen, you have just entered the world of the unknown, where sight and sound are onto a digital dimension all their own....... "welcome to the twilight zone"...aka; high end audio...(: ) ...have fun and happy listening...
reubent
7,039 posts
 
Allenwilkie,

MrT is right. Following advice may end up costing you money and not produce the results you seek. I've owned many different CD players and have often shared my opinions about them. I've also had exchanges here and in e-mail with people that had the exact opposite opinion of the players that I've recommended. Go figure!

Anyway, AudiogoN is a Godsend to someone trying to build a synergetic system, even if they cannot audition before buying because of geographic isolation. If you shop wisely and are patient, you can nearly always buy good used components, try them in your system for weeks or months and then re-sell them if they don't "float your boat". I've done it at least 10 times with CD players alone over the last 6-7 years and it never cost me over about $50 when I resold the unit later.

BTW, I don't think you necessarily need a CD player. I would suggest you just shop for the best sounding CD players in your price range and try one. If you do your homework and are patient and deligent, you almost can't go wrong.

Enjoy,

TIC
steuspeed's avatar
steuspeed
501 posts
 
IMHO tube amps tend to sound more tubey than pre-amps or CD players. This has to do with the interaction with the speaker itself I think. My tube CD player and pre-amp did nothing but improve over my solid state gear. My tube amps have tubey bloat on the bottom end. Their mid and top end can't be beat by my solid state amps though.
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