Which would you choose for good sounding tube preamp for an audiophile new to tubes.


I need your help guys. I would like to add a tube preamp to pair with my reference 200.2 B&K amplifier. My speakers are large ADS L1590 towers ( 90 DB efficiency rating). They were a flagship back in the day. I have had them restored by an ads tech. I am l looking at  a QUICKSILVER LINESTAGE LS PREAMPLIFIER, VTL 5.5 preamplifier, and a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1. All are currently used and on audiomart or audiogon. The Sonic Frontiers is for sale on hi-fi heaven. I purchased from them before and they check out the equipment that is preowned. My system is a little bright and dynamic sounding using the sonata B&K preamp. (There best at the time). I am looking for a little warmth in the sound and no harshness. I want some slam and afraid I will lose it if I go with tubes.  I have had success buying certain units because of the knowledge dispensed through this forum I am a member of Audiogon in good standing. Any help would be great. I appreciate the feedback. 

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Showing 1 response by larryi

The use of a tube line stage into a solid state amp is sometimes an unpredictable hit or miss gamble.  Even if the output impedance of the tube line stage is low enough, or the input impedance of the amp is high enough for a theoretical match (e.g., amp impedance is at least ten times the output impedance of the line stage), the sonic result may not be that good.  This is not a common event, but, it is a risk.  I've heard several occasions when there was such an incompatibility resulting in a dull, lifeless and muffled sound.  

Also, to really get the benefit of what tubes can do for the sound, one should really start with a tube integrated amp or a tube power amplifier.  It is in the actual driving of the speaker that the benefits of tubes really become evident.  But, it is also where you can run into problems with the sound.  I would start with looking for the right tube amp, not the right tube line stage first, to get into tube sound.