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Tube Vs. SS Preamps

Oddly in +25 yrs in the hobby, I’ve never really owned a tube preamp. Can you comment on what the differences are in general sonic terms? I want a really fatigue free sound with lots of body (I run class A and class AB solid state amps).

Do you find SS preamps to be fatiguing typically, more so on average than tube ones? Or is it simply the added bloom that's appealing with tube preamps?

greg7

Showing 2 responses by helomech

helomech
1,805 posts
 

After living with super low distortion SS products from Exposure, Benchmark, and Bel Canto, I actually find that tube gear leads to earlier onset of fatigue, even when the tube gear is of relatively low distortion.

 

helomech
1,805 posts
 

You are asking the wrong question.  What tubes offer that SS cannot compete with is space.  You hear a soundstage where vocals and instruments have their own space.

 

Except this just isn’t the case when concerning reference quality SS components. And much, if not most, entry-level tube gear fails to produce that sense of “space.” 

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