Two preamps in your system


Has anyone ever experimented using two preamps simultaneously in a system? Say tubes on top and ss on the bottom?
128x128mitch4t
What a horrible thought. First, you have to get them to run at the same gain. Second, you have to make sure their volume controls track each other (impossible). Third, you have to manipulate two controls when one should do.

Finally, this old canard about tubes on top and SS on the bottom is just that today. There are preamps of each category that serve the entire spectrum superbly, if somewhat differently.
Agree with Kr4.. At least for 2 channel stereo operation, Bi-Pre amping is not the same as Bi amping. It could be thought of as similar in the sense of running top/bottom controls, but system matching of gain,impedence,and balance would be inaccurate and just plain incoherent. Its difficult enough to get a properly set up bi-amp system to sound good.
Hi Mitch,

Back in the early eighties I did use two preamps in the same system. I used a conrad-johnson PV6mc for the phono section patched in through the tape monitor of an Infinity FET preamp. The CJ had good qualities for the phono yet the Infinity was very dynamic and had much better bottom end. That combination did work rather well for my system at the time.

Best,

Barry Kohan