Tubeyist sounding Pre-amp?

What pre-amp has the most tubey sound?

I don't even car if it HAS tubes - I just want that sound - it can use MOSFETs for all I care.

Thx

randy-1112-09-2016 12:03am

60 responses Add your response

larryi Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,982 posts 12-09-2016 at 07:37pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Chayro, I like the sound of Viva gear. I have a Viva fono phonostage myself. I checked out your profile and found that you have a Trenner & Friedl speakers, a brand I like too. We also share the same brand of turntable. It must mean we share the same notion of "euphonic coloration." But, that description merely means we like the sound of whatever we attach that label. There are plenty of tube gear I would not call euphonic and many of these are the most popular brands (at least as far as internet hype).
czarivey Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,946 posts 12-09-2016 at 07:27pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete chayro, it's mastering and recording engineers that want sound to be maximum of neutral. audiophiles aim for euphonic coloration that is often far away from original source. Viva amp is extremely audiophile.
chayro Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,984 posts 12-09-2016 at 03:07pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I think that, in the OP's context, "tubey" means something with euphonic coloration that makes things sound more "beautiful" as opposed to neutral. Audiophiles always say they want something neutral, but often prefer something to smooth out the rough edges a bit. I consider my Viva amplifier in this category and I've been very happy with it for about 9 years.
larryi Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,982 posts 12-09-2016 at 02:09pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The comments above illustrate how much the idea of "tubey sound" varies. If that is suppose to mean a warm sound (upper bass, lower midrange prominence), I cannot think of too much gear that is the antithesis of this kind of sound than Audio Research, particularly pre-Reference 3 gear. It would help to know, by comparison of what the OP has heard, a bit more about what the goals are because the different kinds of sound of tube gear is at least as vast as solid state. In one post above, CJ, Atmasphere and Cary are listed as tube-based brands, and yet, the gear they produce sound quite dramatically different. You cannot reasonably lump together all of the tube gear from just the Cary line alone because the sound among models is so different. The SLP-98 linestage is very different from the SLP-05 (the former having a much warmer sound).
kalali Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,977 posts 12-09-2016 at 01:09pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I assume verrrry tubey means more forward sounding midrange and vocals. Close enough?
mitch4t Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,610 posts 12-09-2016 at 10:22am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete . The Audio Research Reference 1 is verrry tubey.
lowrider57 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,417 posts 12-09-2016 at 08:50am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The real "tubey" sound comes from a tube amp based system. However, there are many preamps that can provide tube flavor when combined with the right SS amp. Good synergy and compatable specs between the two components are important. PrimaLuna, CJ, Atma-sphere, Cary are some possible preamps. Balanced or SE?
lowrider57 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 5,417 posts 12-09-2016 at 06:47am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete What amp are you using? Balanced or SE?
Post removed Dec 09, 2016
rockadanny Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,224 posts 12-09-2016 at 12:08am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I can make my all-tube Mapletree Audio preamp sound all sorts of "tubey" depending on which pair of tubes I roll in. Very tube dependant sound.

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