Topic: Tube vs Solid State - Pre & Power Amps

[SonicSound]

I am curious to know what people opinion/experience has been in comparing the following scenarios:

A)   Tube Pre-amp w/ Tube Power amp
B)   Tube Pre-amp w/ Solid State Power amp
C)   Solid State Pre-amp w/ Solid State Power amp
D)   Solid State Pre-amp w/ Tube Power amp

I have always enjoyed Tubes but have been considering replacing my tube pre-amp and going w/ a solid state pre.

[carlbeck]

I am a fan of tubes. The least I will do in my own system is a tube pre with a solid state amp. I am a fan of tube amps as as well, Nick & I were discussing this earlier today. The sound of tubes is sweet but the real charm is the "intensity" of music. There is so much more energy from a tube amp, it's hard to explain but there seems to be more dynamics & impact from a really good tube amp IMO.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I've tried all the combinations and I think that the best for most people might be the tube preamp and a warm solid state amp simply because of the longevity of power tubes is limited.  It can be expensive to routinely replace tubes in high power amplifiers.  Soundwise, I like my current system the best of all the ones I've had - using tubes and SS amps together in a biamped system.  But I find that I don't use my big system for backgound music now as much as when I had a big SS amp that didn't burn tube life.  Preamp tubes are cheap and last a long time so I never worried about using them up.

What do you expect to improve by swapping to a solid state pre?

[SonicSound]

What do you expect to improve by swapping to a solid state pre?

Less noise.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

If you hear audible noise, you might need new tubes or have some other issue. 

I know that some designs have noise.  I had a CJ PV7 that had a very high noise floor and CJ said that it was a triat of that unit.  In contrast the PV14 with mullards is silent with the gain all the way up.


Mike, what do you mean by stability?

[carlbeck]

Mike, what do you mean by stability?

I was wondering the same thing. All my tube equipment has been very stable. Tubes can fail but the electronics are rarely affected.

[Nick's Picks]

"eh"
there are some aspects that are worth a trade off here and there Mike. 
the tube pre > SS amp setup is pretty sweet.  I especially enjoy the tube pre > class D amp sound.  tube presentation w/SS "UMPH" and ultimate bass control of whatever fuzzy bottom comes off those tubes.
Good stuff.
I'm w/ya on the integrated amp approach though.  Plinius and Krell have always been on my "sooner or later" list.

[carlbeck]

Nope, you should definitely turn tubes off but once they warm up they are stable. Plus if you have an auto bias amp they are even more stable & the bias is adjusted as the tube wears.