Tubeguys:How much "tube sound" from tube players?

I've never had to make a choice except for the recent purchase of a SS CDP (although I do have two SS amps about which I only use in emergencies).

After giving this a great deal of thought ( :-) ) I think I agree with Trelja.

It is probably far easier to get a SS preamp that is neutral and not subtractive, than it is to get a SS amp that will ever sound like a tube amp. Of course one would have to be exceptionally critical of the source as you wouldn't be able to use the pre-amp to change tone if it were SS. The more I think about it, if I had to make a choice I would probably use a high quality passive pre-amp and an appropriate tube amp/speakers to match the sonic's of the CDP (and/or the phono pre).

Foster_9, Sorry, I forgot to answer your question. IMHO what you seek from a tubed CDP will be lost with out the benefit of a tubed amp. With my present stuff I vastly prefer the combination of a SS CDP (Wadia) with tubed amps (Sonic Frontiers) than a tubed CDP (BAT) and a SS amp (Muse). The Wadia into the Muse was a poor combo whereas the BAT into the SF stuff was fine. I'm sure different equipment combos would produce varing results and YMMV but thats sums my experience.

John, I'm amazed that you find the Rowlands more 'tubey' than your CAT's. Are you just referring to tone, that is the Rowlands are warmer? I'm dying of curiosity why you would be buying all those 6550's if otherwise. :-)

I suspect that you are using the description of the effect of tubes differenty from how many would define 'tubey' when comparing the CAT's and the Rowland, vis a vis the last sentence of your post, which is my definition of one of the effect of tubes which is for the most part missing from SS devices.

One of the reason's I recommended consideration of a well implemented passive line stage is, assuming comparable quality of the attenuator, you need only match a good (assumably tubed but not necessarily) CDP with your chosen tube amp and speakers.

In the end its all about synergy, speaking of which - While the following combination of equipment would hardly rise to your expectations on either a tonal or resolution quality basis, and frankly surprised me as well, I recently combined a Wadia 302 with a Primaluna 3, the SFM's and my Tylers. The net result was excellent resolution/imaging, warm tone, full tight bass, and totally non fatiguing to listen to. It was most impressive with a solo piano when listening to the bass/lower mid-range to hear clearly all of the impact of the piano AND clearly hear all of the decaying resonances from the sound board as well as the wooden body of piano and the acoustic. So many times what we get is either too much bloat from slow rise times, too much resonance from slow decay, or the opposite. Since putting those components together I'm seriously re-evaluating what it is that I think I need from my system beyond that sound. If it were not for the phono stage of the SP10 I think both it and the BAT CDP would be retired. Now, after that admission, no one will ever take me seriously again! :-)