2. amps-preamps
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question about ss or tubes

So right now the sound I'm getting is wonderfully enveloping and fills my little space up with the music.  The music has reasonable amount of depth it images beyond the edges of the speakers and sometimes sound comes from behind me or right next to me. However I know I'm missing some detail and it has me contemplating a phono stage and I'm just wondering would I lose what I have going to solid state in order to get detail or is it possible to keep this spacious floating sort of presentation with something like a Sutherland 20/20 for example. On a side note I'm getting some new power tubes for my amps so I think this should help with my detail but my question is still does solid state do this sort of presentation or is not a ss or tube question at all but a system room synergy thing that causes this.

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Showing 2 responses by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
Both tube and solid state take some time to break in; in addition both take time to warm up. Tubes take about two hours to really sound right and solid state takes 24 hours to a week (meaning that if its a solid state preamp it should be left on all the time for best results. Consult your manufacturer about the safety of doing so).

If you feel like you are missing some detail I would consider sticking with tubes. Triode signal tubes arguably have the greatest linearity known to man; If there is any place to put a tube its as close to the front end of your system as you can. Once you loose information no matter how good the amps and speakers are you can't regain it downstream.


atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
Grados do fine with detail- just like any other cartridge, care and feeding is important (IOW they have to be set up properly).

When was the last time you got the tubes tested in your Quicksilver? Maybe they just need replacement?
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