Tube pre-amps: what defines "better"


Long story short: trusted audiophile friends recommend I add a tube pre-amp to my audio system. As with all gear, pricing is a very large range, so the usual irritating question is on my mind! -- what do I look for in a tube pre-amp that would send me to, say, a $1500 product over a $350 product? Beyond the issues of fit and finish, country of origin (as usual, the Chinese products are relatively lower-priced)...what in your mind makes for a stand-out tube preamp? Thanks for any advice.

J.
jpaik

Showing 1 response by musicslug

different tube pres will have different sounds, ranging from extremely warm/tube-y/euphonic to clinical and almost solid-state - you need to determine which sound works best for 1.your ears and 2.your system.

if you have a turntable, phono sections differ enormously - with some pres, they're great, with others you'd want to get a separate phono pre