??? Anyone Running Active Speakers Driven By A Tube PreAmp ???

Are you talking about speaker with passive mids and highs and an active woofer?

Not sure if this will be of any help but I have a 4-way system, 3-way active. Mids are passively crossover to the highs. I use a tubed pre-amp. If the active electronics alters the characteristics of the tubes , it is inaudible to me. I do get far greater definition because of the active electronics. Staging and imagining are not the most important attributes to me in a system, but I am very happy with the imagining that I get considering the minimal effort that I put into getting them.

My Golden Ear Triton Reference speakers use an active woofer system.  I am using a McIntosh C2500 all tube preamp with fantastic results.

Many speakers such as ML ESLs that have an active woofer can be driven by a tube amp since iit takes much less power to drive the mids and highs.

No but sure, why not?  

@mapman one reason would be because fully active speakers take either a preamp signal or a digital signal.  You don't need an amp.  thus my clarifying questions.

Referring to fully self powered speakers,not passive w/active sub..Thanks..

??? No ???

if they are fully active and have an analog input, you can drive them with a tube preamp or a tube DAC.

Jerry

@carlsbad2 yes I realize that..What I'm wondering if if using a tube pre would be provide the same benifits as say running a standard tube pre with a solid state or digital amplifier & passive speakers or if any DSP that might be active in fully powered speakers would negate the use of a tube preamp..

Go with whatever provides the sound characteristics you’re looking for.  If that’s tubes fine and if it’s solid state fine, but especially with a tube pre you should obviously pay attention to ensuring the output/input impedance characteristics are compatible.  I like active ATC speakers, but if I ever own them I’ll surely pair them with a good tube preamp.  Again, it totally depends on what sound characteristics you’re looking for. 

@soix ,so your saying that running on the analog input on the speakers,bypassing the DSP activated using Digital inputs, would allow the benifits of a tube preamp to be realized, acting the same as running a hybrid system with passive speakers?

No.  I don’t know what speakers you’re using or how they’re configured.  All I’m saying is that I might choose to run a line level signal from a tube preamp to active speakers if that’s possible.  If you need a digital signal going into your speakers then why are you even asking about a tube preamp?

I use precisely such a system: my active speakers are the Linkwitz LX521.4. Each of the five cones has its own class-D amplifier (Hypex N-core) per channel (10 amps total!), which are fed from an active cascade crossover, ensuring that each driver gets only that frequency window, where its respective response is more or less flat. The signal comes from a Supratek Grange preamp/phono stage by means of XLR balanced connections. My DAC (MSB) feeds into the preamp first. I tried a direct connection (which is the recommended way by Linkwitz for digital-only listeners), but I found the sound - while actually louder than coming from the pre - flatter and less nuanced. I assume that the latter effect comes from the tubes (Takatsuki 300B), while the Hypex amps drive the 4 subs with 250A each for gut-tingling bass. So, yes: I think I am getting the best of two worlds here. Every visitor to my audio lounge loves the sound and stage presentation. You can see my system here: https://linkwitz.store/blog/2023/01/20/new-linkwitz-lounge-in-fremont-ca/

@reimarc 

Just curious if you're using PowerBoxes, or custom amplification?

Three tube preamplifiers were used with ATC 40A and ATC 50A transducers:  Manley Jumbo Shrimp, Manley Neo Classic 300B and De Havilland Mercury (heavily modified) were used for years in my system.  Each time I felt the tube design could not keep up with the speed of active speakers.  There was a smearing I could not resolve.

First switched out to Sugden LA-4 class A.  That gave the speed needed.  Then to Luxman C900u preamp for the complete sound.  Your mileage may vary.  Best success.  Cheers 

@freediver 

We design and manufacture active speaker systems. Here is a very short version of my experience related to your question. First, there are several active speaker configuration. Assuming your setup requires the use of a preamp, meaning your source drives a preamp which drives active crossovers which in turn drives the amplifiers then yes any preamp with a particular flavor will influence the overall sound of the system. With our active speakers the user can choose practically any amplifiers (tube or SS) or preamplifier (tube or SS) they like. We have set up dozens of different configuration. The preamp you choose will influence the overall sound just like any other system. A warm mushy preamp will make the system sound that way. I good tube preamp with a bit of warmth and a 3D presentation will influence the system to that end, assuming the rest of the system is capable.

BTW, We typically use 300B tube amps to drive our line arrays and a tube preamp in our showroom. We have several tube and SS amps to use for audition depending on what is requested. All the combinations do sound different.

Some excellent info provided,thanks very much..