2. amps-preamps
  3. 151645-67361

Tube or SS Pre Upgrade

Currently have the upgrade bug and I am currently thinking about upgrading my pre-amp (currently a ARC LS-27) and have been toying with the idea of moving to a SS to go with my Pass 260.8 mono. As you get the biggest bang for the buck on the used/demo market I am currently looking at a ARC LS-28, a ARC Ref 5se and a Pass X-22.

Are there others I should consider? Balanced inputs/out required, as is a remote. Before I upgraded the amps, my thinking was to use a tube front end to balance the SS amps. With the pass I do not know if this should still be a consideration.

Rest of system consists of:

ARC LS27
Pass 260.8 monoblocks
PS Audio DSD DAC
PS Audio DS Memory Transport
Magna Dynalab MD 809T Internet Tuner
Nakamichi cr-7a
Shahinian Acoustics Hawks

Thoughts / Suggestions

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Showing 1 response by erik_squires

erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
With balanced io a requirement, Ayre, Luxman are SS models I'd suggest you listen to. 
I think it's more important to balance against your speakers than necessarily attempt a best of SS AND Tubes.

Sometimes, with very hard to drive speakers, a SS amp is mandatory, and then a Tube pre gets to be the place you inject color.

To your own ears be true. :)
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