2. amps-preamps
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Where do tubes matter most???

Here's a question from a newbie:

Where do you get the most of that nice "tube sound"? Some say the ratio of importance of tubes in the pre-amp vs power amp is 75/25, others say it's really 50/50. Some say a good hybrid amp will get you most of the way there, others seem to be more all or nothing.

I see a lot of Hybrids with pre-amp tubes, but I never see any hybrids that have solid state preamp with a tube amplifler. I'm assuming this is because It's less expensive to drive inefficient speakers with a solid state amplifier, but do considerations of musicality and sound fit into this design?
lastwaltz

Showing 1 response by muralman1

muralman1
1,527 posts
 
I'm with Unsound, and Karls for perhaps the same reason. I use to be all tubes, including cdp. Then I was convinced into buying the Pass X amp by an amp builder. These things run so clean, that I found all I needed for tubes was my trusty cdp.

I can hear every nuance of each tube I try, most being objectional.

I happen to like the ss amp crispness. There are a lot of sounds that don't approach life without it.

Reducing tubes to the signal source promotes the valve liquidity, spaciousness, and air, while not suffocating the music as an all tube set up of anything but the greatest.

Anyway, great tubes are having their prices pushed to the stratosphere by demand.
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