If I'm looking for "Tube Sound", why would I put a Tube Pre in front of a SS amp?

Having a fantastic tubed front end is the way to go if you like to spin vinyl and your speakers are a bit on the not sensitive side or not tube friendly. This is the way you inject that awesome tube sound without using a tube amplifier :-)

Matt M

Another rationale for using a tubed preamp is that tubes work better than solid-state in amplifying voltages since tubes work at hundreds of volts while SS works at tens of volts.  Solid-state work better at amplifying current since they have much lower output impedances, so there is a good reason to use SS power amps.  Not sure which will have the greatest "tube" sound since that is more subjective and affected by so many factors.

@inna I have run tubes for quite a long time and I will have to totally disagree with you there. Nothing changed the character of my sound more than a good tubed preamp.

Most people I heard of drive electrostatics with tube amps. Preamp is not the most important component. Only tube power amp gives real taste of tube sound.

The right tube preamp such as Thoress  will give more depth and a warmer sound.

@unsound yes in my experience and that excludes speakers just talking electronics. Speakers obviously have the greatest effect of all.

jond, really???

It can be very expensive to re-tube a high powered tube amp on a regular basis.  For some, heat is also an issue.

You may want to look at this thread, as the subject gets flogged rather hard. :)

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/how-to-measure-current-in-an-amplifier

A preamp typically has the greatest effect on your sound than any other component, so a tubed preamp upstream will impart at least some "tube character" to what the amp sends to your speakers.

Hey Finsup,

In broadly general terms, solid state amplifiers are the better choice for very difficult to drive speakers. Speakers with typically low impedances (4 Ohms) or that have extremely low impedance points, such as electrostatics, are usually better driven by a solid state amplifier. You may read members asking about whether speaker X or Y is "tube friendly" or not. This is why.

Martin Logan electrostatic speakers are classic examples where a tube pre and ss amp is a delicious combination.

Not all speakers are compatible with tube amplifiers due to the speaker impedance or phase angles, etc. These issues do not affect a tube preamp, although you need to be sure your preamp and amp are compatible, regardless of whether they are tube or solid state.