What is Better? SS Amp+Tube CD OR Tube Amp+SS CD


Can someone tell me which setup is better sounding combo?
1. good quality SS amp matched with Tube CD player
OR
2. quality Tube amp with quality SS CD player
My critieria is warm, sweet, smooth, real sounding music of tubes wtih reasonable accuracy & bass that SS provides.
Most of all, which combo is better bang for our buck
bonger

Showing 1 response by mrtennis

if you stick to current production equipment and consider tube amps, other than triode amps, it probably makes little difference whether you use tubes or solid state. well deisgned tube and solid state amps, tend to sound alike these days.

regarding cd players, again with reference to current production cd players, i have found that most are not particularly tube sensitive and that there may not be much of an advantage having a tube analog stage, when you have 24/192 chips and up sampling.

the exception to the above applies to older gear, say 80's and early 90's cd players, and tube amps from the same period. the difference between tube and ss gear was more apparent at that time.