I tried a couple of those cheap Chinese tube buffers you find on eBay and they were no good. They were starved plate designs - only about 12 volts or so on the plates and op-amps in the circuit doing the work. Then I tried a Bellari PA555 tube preamp for only $300. The single 12AX7 is actually functioning with high plate voltage followed by op-amps for a very low output impedance. This is not a starved plate design. Let the trolling begin but I am happy with the tube sound it adds.
Are Tube Buffers for real or even worth it ?
Currently on one of my set ups I’m running a Carver TFM-35X amp through a Parasound ZPre3 Preamp to some Maggi .7’s. Being I really prefer a tube sound I was wondering if I picked up a Tube Buffer for a few bucks and ran it from the output of the Parasound preamp to the input of the Carver TFF-35x amp would it tame the carver’s output to more of a warmer tube type sound out of the Maggi’s? Has anyone tried anything like this and been happy with the results?
The Amp is a beast but just a tad Solid State sounding for my taste but kicks butt none the less.
Any thoughts?