Tube Preamp: How many tubes does it take to .................

My McIntosh Tube Tuner/Preamp has 17 tubes (some for tuner of course).

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This EAR 802 Tube Preamp has 14 tubes (and either MM or MC phono)

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Some have as few as 2 and no mention of Hybrid

Some call themselves Hybrid

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invalid Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,085 posts 07-15-2023 at 05:23pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete It also depends on if you are using dual triodes or single triodes, and if you are using half wave rectifier tubes or full wave. If you are using half wave rectifiers you can use 4 tubes for a full wave bridge, you can't do a bridge with full wave rectifiers.
invalid Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,085 posts 07-16-2023 at 12:41am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Power tubes can even be used in a preamp, one manufacturer I know of uses power tubes in some of his preamps and DACs.
invalid Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,085 posts 07-16-2023 at 02:05pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Just because a preamp has multiple tubes doesn't necessarily mean they all have to be matched. I know of a line stage that has 10 tubes in the signal path and only pairs need to be matched.
invalid Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,085 posts 07-17-2023 at 11:15pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete My next line stage is going to have 6 power tubes in the signal path.