Warm, rich but detailed SS preamp (made you give up tubes)

     The reason I bought a used Mark Levinson 326S is due to its ability to create the most realistic 3D soundstage illusion I've ever experienced through a ss preamp.  Spatiality up the ying yang.  Its ability to present properly sized,well detailed, stable and solid images in a wide, deep and layered overall soundstage with a sense of air and space between them in a realistic and palpable manner is truly amazing. impressive and enjoyably addictive.
     I just happened to be in the room during another individual's demo at a local hi-end audio shop when I first discovered its incredible ability. I used a VTL 2.5L preamp at the time, with a set of 4 expensive NOS Mullard tubes swapped in for the standard Russian or Chinese glass, and I wasn't even considering a preamp switch or upgrade before I experienced this ML 326S's ability to present a soundstage illusion that was so palpable and walk through realistic. It also has very accurate, natural and neutral tonal timbre and pitch qualities, however, with any perceived warmth originating solely from the music itself and not from a deliberate design choice of added even ordered harmonics. 
     It sounds silly, but I hope this preamp's accuracy and neutrality isn't a deal killer for you.   If it is, Pass may be a better choice for you due to their reputation of adding even ordered harmonics, and its resultant warmth quality, to both their preamps and amps.

Tim

     In my previous post on 1/25/21,I stated: "Some tube preamp brands, such as Acoustic Research, seem to be more devoted to a more neutral presentation lately than others".
     I meant to state Audio Research, and not Acoustic Research, has seemed to become more devoted to a more neutral presentation lately than others.
Sorry, my mistake.
 Tim   

Hello smodtactical,

     Hilde45 is, of course, correct in stating there are no dangers of tubed preamps 'blowing up'.  That's just outright false and misinformation.  I've used both ss and tube preamps in my systems and, if you're wanting a presentation with added and exaggerated qualities of warmth, tonal richness and palpable dimensionality, I believe it's best just to use a tube preamp that you prefer. 
     I tend to agree with teo_audio, that finding a ss preamp with all these qualities is likely not even possible.  In fact, the trend in preamps over the past decade  or so, for both ss and tube designs, seems to be away from additive qualities of any kind and toward an overall much more neutral presentation.  Some tube preamp brands, such as Acoustic Research, seem to be more devoted to a more neutral presentation lately than others.
     I've discovered I really enjoy and now prefer an overall neutral presentation.  I like the fact that it's much closer to the audio ideal of 'a straight wire with gain', it's a more honest approach that hides nothing and evaluating the performance of other system components or changes becomes much easier.  Even differences between interconnect and power cables used becomes much more easily discerned.
     It's important to understand upfront, however, that a high quality neutral overall presentation will also make it much easier to evaluate the quality level of every recording.  When a high degree of transparency is consistently maintained in one's system, it becomes obvious that there's not a consistently maintained high level of quality applied to the recording and mixing of music masters.  The truth is that music source recording quality varies significantly, any decently neutral and transparent audio system will reveal these deficiencies in abundant detail and relying on a preamp's additive or coloring qualities to mask, cover up or otherwise remedy these source recording deficiencies will prove to be ineffective.
     I believe the optimum system performance strategy is to utilize the highest quality audio system, with an overall neutral presentation, that one can muster and utilize source recordings of the highest quality that are commercially available. 
     Contrary to popular opinion, this strategy doesn't result in a lack of warmth or other euphonic qualities in an audio system's overall presentation.  These qualities will be readily apparent if the system is sufficiently high in quality and neutrality, the music recording is of high quality and the music itself possesses warmth or other euphonic qualities.

Best wishes,
     Tim

Hello hilde45,

     Or, use better quality recordings, right?

Tim

Hello hilde45,

     True, it's not always easy finding good recordings on the music one likes.  I've become a big fan of direct to hi-res digital recordings due to their very detailed and natural sounding recordings with uncompressed dynamics. 
      I wish all the major artists recorded using this method.  When you buy a hi-res digital download, you're literally getting an exact copy of the original master recording.

Later,
  Tim

Hello hilde45,

     I have that Keith Greeninger track as a 24 bit/96KHz FLAC file download on my hard drive, excellent direct to hi-res digital recording with very realistic dynamics as heard and felt when listening to acoustic music played live.  Carmen Gomes is also very good if you like intimate jazz recordings.
     Blue Coast is a good source of these high quality direct to hi-res digital recordings as is Sound Liaison in Europe which has a lot of Carmen Gomes downloads available at very reasonable prices.
www.soundliaison.com
       I think downloads are a good method for both consumers, receiving very high quality recordings at a fair price, and the music artists, receiving royalties for each download.

Later,
 Tim