Can tube preamps be as 'detailed' sounding as ss?


Recently I bought a minimax tubed preamp. After several weeks of listening and comparing to my Plinius Cd-Lad pre, I've decided I like some things about the minimax, but more things about the Plinius
1. minimax adds a sense of realism and increased soundstage depth a little
2. minimax added more hiss to the system
3. better bass with the Plinius
4. better details and clarity with the Plinius
5. Wider soundstage with Plinius

I really enjoyed the increase sense of realism though. Is it possible that a better tubed pre (such as Cary slp-98) would retain the clarity and details of the Plinius and add the midrange lushness? Or would a hybrid tube pre give the best of both worlds (like a Cary slp-308)?
thanks for your thoughts
rest of system, Bryston 3bst, Ayre cx-7, Audio Physics Libra
machman12000

Showing 4 responses by muralman1

The answer is absolutely YES, but not a tube preamp. Henry Ho's Fire preamp
should actually be redressed to amp status. As such, it would at least
compete with Pass Labs First Watt.

Adding it to my system has not, "Got out of the way." That seems
to have been the best compliment possible for a preamp. The Fire has
actually accentuated my H2O mono Sigs performance, as if it was a winning
relay runner handing off the baton at speed. They are an essential tandem.

It is my firm belief, the Fire preamp would stand high as a breakthrough solid
state amp.
My active solid state preamps (H2O Fire) couldn't be more clear, with no discernible foreign harmonics whatsoever. What they are, I don't know. The builder says, unconventional. Whatever, it works.
Atmasphere, A pox on all foreign harmonics, for they are all a type of signal pollution. I can hear tube coloration as easily as solid state irritation.