Solid State Preamp with Tube Amp?

Gunbei: Sure, it will sound different. If you do put something like this together just take care not to run a source or signal through the tube amp without having speakers attached to it. Doing so will damage the amp. When I first got the SET amp I goofed around with driving it from the pre out of my Musical Fidelity amp and it did not sound like the MF integrated amp nor did it sound like the SET straight without the pre, it sounded "different". I used to run tube mono blocks years ago with the preamp section of an Advent receiver (solid state) and it was not as "tuby" as when I used a tube preamp, but it still sounded good and was a bit quieter as well. I would love to have a SS/tube amp option, but to only one set of speakers. Too much switching and extra junk needed in the line though.

I've had success with a tube pre and SS amplification. I use an Audible Illusions Modulus 3A and I have a pair of Gryphon mono blocks. The SS amps give you speed, punch and fast transients the tube pre gives you a little bloom and you are absolutely right on the harmonic texture. I know people who love the sound of tubes all around and for some music I am mesmerized by it. For other music I like the speed of a really good solid state amp. You simply must listen to make a decision. The other benefit of a tube pre and SS amplification is the cost of replacement tubes is much easier to handle every two years or so.

I use a Sonic Frontiers Line 3 into a Krell KSA-200S. Balanced tube to solid state. I find it the best of two worlds. The amp handles my Thiel 3.6 low impedence problem and gives me power and control not possible from a tube amp at twice the price. The tube preamp give a sublime detail and harmonic texture that is possible from a solid state pre amp but at 4 times the price. I guess my logic progression was from speakers to amp to preamp solving system problems created from the original speaker selection.