Toobs + SS = x

Ux4: I feel that your statement is too general to be at all factual. This entire hobby is based on system matching and there are endless combinations that do and don't work. The sound of most any component is dictated by how it synergizes with the other components (including cabling) in a system. A more progressive approach would be to attempt to discover these "magical" combinations within your own system and not to rule out an entire "class" of products, with which to experiment, in the process, as this will only limit and stifle you in the long run. I myself have discovered some great products (and matches) by trying to keep an open mind (not always an easy thing to do, I will admit).

ux4, sorry, i missed the fact that ewe were quoting redkiwi... oops. ;~) redkiwi, i guess yure rite - if yure using an unmusical/hard/cold/grainy (choose one or more) ss pre-amp, ewe can certainly warm it up by adding a mushy toob amp... :>)

please allow me to cut-n-paste from a toob/solidstate-amp/pre thread that generalizes my feelings towards this:

"i presently am happy w/a toobed pre & s/s amps. i can't afford a toobed amp that gives no quarter to solid-state amps where solid-state excels. much as i like the air that toobs impart into a soundstage, it takes big bucks to get a toob amp w/the frequency extension, accuracy & drive that s/s amps have, & that, i can't do w/o."

"likewise, i can't afford a solid-state preamp that gives no quarter to toob pre's, where *they* excel. plenty of toobed pre's that excel in areas where solid-state pre's excel - dynamics, frequency extension, accuracy - but few solid-state pre's that can give the air to a soundstage like a toobed pre, and it'll cost lotsa $$$... "

bottom line for me, is i'd have toob amps if i had an unlimited budget. i might or might not have a solid-state preamp, but only the megabucks s/s contenders would work for me... it's *easy* to find a good toobed preamp that is every bit as accurate, detailed & dynamic as their s/s brethren, w/o being mushy.

doug s.

Each comment is enlightening! Thanks ALL! I may even attempt a less than enlightening comment later this evening.

Redkiwi, I appreciate your not chastising me for quoting you out of context. Your follow-up was just the type response that I hoped for as I attempt to fine tune my system.

That's OK Ux4, and any comments made here will always be out of context - as Dekay indicates, what works in one context can never be assumed to be a universal rule. But if you take that view too far, we would be afraid to post any opinions at all here.

I am not against tube pres at all - just the notion of using a warm mushy one to "improve" things. This is all predicated on the fact that I have always found that ss power amps are a huge impediment to musical enjoyment. And I do not find that tube pres make them OK.

In fact if I used vinyl, I would be using a tube preamp now. (Sadly new vinyl supplies in NZ are almost impossible to get, meaning the way I like to keep sampling new music means vinyl is a dead option for me).

jeez, redkiwi - no winyl? how awful, seriously...

i get quite a musical sound from my electrocompaniet amps, but that doesn't mean i don't dream of a pair of big melos stereo tube amps! ;~)

regards, doug s.