SS Preamp with Tube Amp?


I have always been a SS audiophile: Plinius, McCormack, Pass amps and integrated's. I still have a few of them in several setups.

But recently I bought a Music Reference RM10 MKII, an EL84 35 wpc tube amp. I love it. Have it driving Spendor A6's. All cables Furutech.

My question is, can a SS preamp do the tube amp justice to maintain the tube amp's liquidity, sweetness, wonderful midrange, etc.

I was thinking about a Jeff Rowland Capri SS pre.

Wondered what others' experience has been with this question.

Thanks
Glenn
gsherwood53

Showing 1 response by stanwal

If your tube preamp is dominating the sound of your system then you have a very colored preamp. The classic test of a preamp is to run a signal from a source that does not require a preamp to your amps and listen to it. Then put your preamp in the circuit, if you can tell a big difference then you have a bad preamp. I have a friend who wants his preamp to bring the midrange forward because he likes the sound that way, he knows it is not neutral but doesn't care.