Tubes vs. solid state.

Guidocorona, feedback is very definately a factor in preamp design. A very famous Ampex recorder (model 351-2), used by RCA and Mercury as well as many others, featured a zero feedback record circuit.

EQ of phono preamps is often handled in the feedback loop of the preamp. The Dyna PAS-3 is a good example as is the ARC SP-3. If not, you will often see the term 'passive equalization' used by the manufacturer. Harmon Kardon used passive phono EQ in their famous Citation 1 preamp decades ago. IMO/IME passive EQ is harder to execute, but allows the phono preamp to sound better- smoother, with less ticks and pops. Refer to my prior posts as to why that is.

Chatta, there is of course an intellectual preference that each audiophile carries. Despite this conscious preference, the human brain apparently knows when it is being fooled, whether we consciously acknowledge it or not. Dr Herbert Melcher, a famed neuro-chemical scientist, has proved this recently in tests using audio playback- its fascinating stuff: as the brain detects violations of how reality actually sounds (false noise floor, slow waveform delivery, etc.), the processing of music moves from the limbic centers to the frontal lobes of the human brain. When we are comparing cables or listening to MP-3s, the processing is entirely in the frontal lobes.

It is becoming conventional wisdom that the sound of tube and solid state are converging. Perhaps in some respects that is the case, but, there are aspects of certain tube gear I haven't heard matched in solid state stuff. In general, better tube gear presents a larger scaled soundstage and a more natural, relaxed sound (I am not talking about warmer and sluggish). The initial attack of notes seem more realistic (less brittle and artificially edgy) and the notes seem to bloom into space and then decay more naturally. Better tube gear also tends to sound less "dry" (I am describing a sensation more than a particular sound).

I am a bit leery of making statements about tube being superior in sound to solid state because, frankly, I think a lot of tube gear sounds worse than the equivalently priced solid state alternative. I really don't particularly like most high-powered tube gear. If a speaker is efficient enough, I like the sound of well-built single-ended triode amps; if more power is required, I like output transformerless tube amps.

That said, I've heard a lot of solid state gear that have certain aspects of performance that better my tube gear and I could easily with such. For example, the Lyra Connoisseur linestage and phonostage sounded pretty good to me--very dynamic and beautifully dense and realistic harmonic structure. A friend has a First Watt J2 amp that sounds reasonably good on his horn system (he says it does less well driving his Spendor SP100s). I've also heard nice sounding systems driven by Ayre amps and Belles amps too.

Guido,

of course feedback can be applied to preamps, and in fact most do ! If your preamp uses an opam for volume control, then most likely your preamp is using lots of feedback.

I wish I had your ears :-) That way I could get rid of the KX-R and just go with a Capri.

Thanks

Likewise Pinkus. . . I'd love to have your ears. . . while a direct comparison between Capri and KX-R may not be terribly meaningful, KX-R outcosting little Capri by a factor of 5, I could get the KX-R and sell JRDG Criterion. . . unfortunately I have not been able to find a pre yet that I prefer to Criterion, and unlike VTL TL7.5 Mk.2 and the CJ flagship series, KX-R is not on my current shortlist. . . The 2 of us seem to suffer of terminally diverging tin-ears. This is the beauty of the hobby, isn't it? So many different Nirvanas! G.

Guido,

I have had 2 CJ preamps in my system: the venerable CJ Premier 14 and later the Premier 17LS2. To my ears, as advertized, the CJ's sound just right !

The Ayre KX-R to my ears has a similar sound ... just better, with lower noise, better bass, and less hassle. I am done with my preamp quest. I am not looking for a replacement.

I assume you are fond of CJ preamps, and if so, there is some common ground between us.