Tubes in preamps make a lot more sense than in power amps, so yes it is a good choice, and your particular choices in mfrs are excellent as well, both are at the very top of the game in their respective areas. Tubes excel at signal purity and in keeping the circuits simple, which are very good things. But they are not nearly as well suited to delivering very high currents into very low impedances, which will always limit their ability in power amp applications. This is just basic physics and there's nothing anybody can do about it. Lots of people love tube power amps, but usually they either have musical tastes which allow them to overlook the flabbiness in the bass, or are willing to put up with the heat and maintenance of 300+ wpc tube amps. Re input impedance, if the amp's input impedance is over about 10kOhms, you're probably ok, more's better.
Very Basic Tube/SS Pre-AMP/AMP Question
I am a novice, but after reading these forums there appears to be many pros and cons about using tubes or not using them and in the end, it is a very subjective issue.
I am wondering if it makes sense to use say, a high-end tube preamp like one of the ARC's and pair it with a high-end solid state amp like the PASS. Has anyone tried doing this, and if so what were the results?
I've got my eyes on the Revel Studio's right now, and I need components to drive them...if that helps.
I live in Tokyo and it is very difficult to demo quality gear out here. I would greatly appreciate any advice in this area!
Cheers,
Michael
I am wondering if it makes sense to use say, a high-end tube preamp like one of the ARC's and pair it with a high-end solid state amp like the PASS. Has anyone tried doing this, and if so what were the results?
I've got my eyes on the Revel Studio's right now, and I need components to drive them...if that helps.
I live in Tokyo and it is very difficult to demo quality gear out here. I would greatly appreciate any advice in this area!
Cheers,
Michael