Why Tube Pre-SS amp over SS Pre- Tube amp?

swamp,

thanks. does the fact that it changes voltage make it sound more like tubes that other SS options?

I think the original rational, at least sometimes, was $'s. Now with very good high power tube amps available for less than insane cost (Rogue, used Bat, etc.) I'm not sure that the original rational is valid. Imho.

I'm a purist. Tubes (SET) all the way. Pre to amp. It works for my ears. SET, particulary, very magical, holographic, you've heard the whole nine of adjectives: and they are true. I wouldn't let an SS pre amp touch my SET amp. Kind of like putting slip covers over a beautiful new sofa. Of course, there are probably SS pre amps that can do the job that my pre does, but I gots to draw the line somewhere in my sonic journey.

Warren,

I do agree with you that all tube, is the way to go. I currently use a SET amp as well.

I have, however, heard a number of non-SET amps that are really good alternatives. One is a near one-of-a-kind OTL that is about 20 years old that the owner was will to part with for something like $70k. Another astonishing amp I heard was a Western Electric pushpull amp in a massive vertical rack arrangement. The owner had only one amp (i.e., mono) and cannot find another to make a stereo pair. I heard it in a side-by-side comparison with an Audionote (uk) Kageki (the SET I own). It was a better amp, but, then again, it costs almost four times what the Kageki costs.

I have heard a number of fine systems with solid state linestages in them, but, these systems are so different from mine and I cannot say what contribution to the overall sound was made by the solid state linestage. Still, some of these linestages, like the Connoisseur and the Naim 552 I heard, must be pretty good if the systems sounded pretty good.

Tz7, I am an engineer but not an electrical engineer, so maybe an EE type can weigh in here. My understanding of MOSFET's is that their transfer function is more like that of tubes than that of bipolar, HEXFRED, or other transistor types. They probably are also used in circuits with a lot less global negative feedback than those of bipolars, whose distortion tends to be odd- and higher-order, thereby requiring more feedback to minimize distortion.