The short answer is yes adding tubes somewhere can make a big difference, but it really depends what specific improvements you’re looking for and what sound characteristics are most important to you. Also, what’s your budget and are you looking for new or used? Your speakers dip down to 4 Ohms so will be a tough load for many tube amps, so you might wanna look at a tube preamp with a solid state amp (as many do here) or a hybrid integrated with tube preamp section with solid state amp. But it all starts with what sound qualities/improvements you’re looking for and of course budget.
Tubes vs Tubeless
Hi,
Very, very (did I say "very") new to this adventure. I had a nice lower end, high end system 30 years ago and life got in the way and I had to part with that system. I now have a basic set up with a Belles Aria integrated amp with Vandersteen 2ce Signature speakers and a Linn DAC with a basic turntable.
I'm thinking of an upgrade and going full in on a dac system and leaving the vinyl to the side. I love albums but my collection is not huge, I'm getting older and I enjoy the simplicity of streaming music at the touch of a fingertip.
I have never owned a system with tubes and read in one of the forums about the Aric Audio systems and it really piqued my interest.
So, the question is, will there be a considerable difference in sound quality with a tube system of the Aric quality paired with a DAC or is the tube system a better advantage with vinyl?
Thank you
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The 2 variants ( I probably sold a 100x pair back in the golden age , are not a difficult load for a properly designed tube amp - many many Vandersteen dealers carried Quicksilver and got great results.. the 2 acoustic coupler does reward either big output transformer on a tube amp or a high quality SS amp paired with a tube preamp. Belles make just such a wonderful stereo amp. a tube pre is an much easier beast to feed. Finally if you want an integrated consider the hybrid tube and SS Aesthetix Mimas.
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Thanks to all of the responses so far. My goal is to get as close to natural sound as possible. Jazz and classical music as well as vocals, where I hear nuances in instruments would be the goal. I'd like to stick with the Vandersteens for now but am willing to spend $6- $9k for upgrades on amp/preamp. Great sound is a priority but I am a sucker for a cool looking rack that makes sense. I understand that this is looking for the "God Shot" as they say in espresso nerd language.
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@bahston Fortunately electronics including speakers are not musical genre specific. If you go with separates a tube preamp with solid state amp is very popular. There are class D amps now that rival tubes in terms of sound quality. So you have a wide range of equipment from which to chose. |
If you plan to keep the Vandys, I wouldn't recommend most tube amps. The 2ce is already a very "laid back" speaker and anything other than an Audio Research tube amp might push them a little too far in that direction. They need something with a little more "snap" to be engaging. As always, IMHO and YMMV...... |
- 58 posts total