MacIntosh c12000 preamp - Can not tell a difference between tube and solid state sound


I bought a used MacIntosh C12000 preamp. It is in pristine condition. Looks new without a mark on it. It is working great also. 

 

Currently I have a Yamaha AS 32000 amp connected to it through main connects. It's just a tie me over amp until I find a good deal on a Moon amp. It is paired with Focal Sopra N1s.

One thing that urks me, though... when I toggle between solid state mode and tube mode on  main , I cannot tell a difference at all.  Why is that?

dman777

Showing 1 response by ghdprentice

Interesting question. I recommend doing this. Put the toggle in one position... tube or solid state. Forget about your system. Listen to music (not the system) for a couple of weeks. Then flip the switch. Don’t sit down to see if you can hear a difference... just listen to music for a couple weeks. Then flip back. 

If musical presentation is generally similar, it can be difficult to instantly tell the difference when doing an A/B. But long term, in music, it can be profound. I look at it like this... let’s say that a system can produce 100,000 different sounds (it’s in the millions I am sure). In listening for a minute you are only going to hear, say, 100 sounds... and your minds eye may be only focused on a few of those... say the drum and guitar. But long term you are exposed to thousands of sounds and the gestalt. There can be big and profound differences.