Tube or solid state


Do you prefer a tube preamp into a solid state amp or a solid state amp into a tube amp,which is your choice for best sound?

fixto

Showing 1 response by cleebeauregard

Another vote for the McIntosh MA 352 Hybrid; plus if you decide it’s not for you, you should be able to sell/trade without losing much compared to some other options.

I think what you are driving is the biggest determining factor for whether tube/SS output stage is right for you-- if your speakers are not the most efficient, I think most people would agree that you'll likely be better off with SS with plenty of headroom. If you're driving speakers with at least 92dB or greater sensitivity, then I think you could go either way on the output stage, depending on your preferences. There's really no substitute for an in person demo, ideally on your own or very similar equipment. In the end, there's always going to be the critically important subjective component--- what sounds good to YOU.