2. amps-preamps
  3. 151815-96791

General question about tube preamps and gain

I have a (possibly moronic) question unrelated to my previous thread. This is a general question about tubes and gain.

So say you buy a tube preamp and it sounds clean and clear. You decide you want that dark, syrupy sound (classic tube sound?). So you buy tubes that impart this sound on the signal and install them.

Now installed, you notice that the more you turn the preamp volume up, the more the tubes impart that sound on the signal. But you can’t play it loud. 
So could you, theoretically, put attenuators (lets say -10db) between said preamp and the power amp to lower the output signal which you’d then turn the volume up and drive the tubes a little harder to impart more of the tube’s sound at lower levels?

I hope this makes sense. It does in my head but that don’t mean much.


gochurchgo

Showing 1 response by enliten

enliten
44 posts
 
A properly designed tube line stage for home audio should not have issues vs 'volume level' In fact tubes inherently have more linear operating range signal-voltage-wise than solid state typically. +/- 50V swings are not unachievable. Driving the tube stage 'harder' for wetter (more harmonics) is what musicians do, not necessarily what we want in high end audio.

But if that is what you really want, look up "vacuum tube filament starvation" via a search. This may be what you're really looking for. It could also be an adjustable thing.
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