Would like to try a tube preamp after years of solid state and hybrid

Charlie Horse - What I have not seen anyone ask here is this - What ICs do you use between amp and preamp?  A most critical question to ask, IMHO.

With over 40 years in this hobby, (including a few selling audio gear at retail), I have found that having silver ICs between amp and pre is a game changer.  In fact, I had a friend in No Central PA who used to make the thinnest non shielded silver ICs (called them Audio Blashemy or something like that) and for $40/m they sounded amazing!  At onetime, I had 5-6 pair of his ICs on all my components but slowly gave them all away to friends and others so they could try them… I still am using silver ICs on my gear, just from other companies…

Just my $.02,

thanks,

Lou

Charley Horse - I like what you’ve accumulated in terms of audio gear. It’s all of a certain vintage and all very good sounding, without that next level price tag and performance. All good bang for the buck gear, which is where I usually have always been with my many audio systems over the years.

I’ve owned and read countless reviews of audio gear from Stereophile, TAS, HiFi News & RR, HiFi Heretic, The Listener, etc over the year, so much more than I’ll ever be able to listen to.

Regarding tube preamps, I had a Music Reference RM5 mkII for many years that I just loved (with a B&K ST140, EX442, Paoli M70 monos, and a Music Reference RM9) but for some odd reason, it wouldn’t mate up well with the c/m MV50 I had. What was mind blowing was that when I sent it in for a simple mute circuit repair, I had a $89 (at the time) lowly Dyna PAS2 inserted in my system for a few months. It was earth shattering how good this sounded, so much so, that when my MR pre came back, I preferred the PAS2.

When I had the cj MV50, I really wished I could have found a PV5 to mate it with. I don’t have any experience with cj preamps, but from what I’ve read, if you can find a cj Premier 2 or Premier 3 preamp, they are steps above the PV5.

Other great tube preamps that I read about that are a cut above are:

Berning TF10A or AH, Audio Research SP-6B, Counterpoint SA5 or 5.1, AVA Super PAS, Moscode Minuet in A, and MFA Majus….but if you are not using a silver IC between amp & pre, I would start there before changing preamps.

Have fun on the preamp journey,

Lou

Lou, Thanks for the thoughtful response and encouragement.  It can be funny and surprising about equipment, good is good regardless of the cost.  I don't want this to deviate into cables, so I sent you a pm.

I will read up on the suggestions that you, and the more recent contributors have made as some of them are unfamiliar.  You made the third mention of the ARC SP-6B.  The journey has been fun, and the enthusiasm that has been shared has been inspiring.

Thanks, Kevin

I heard both the SP-6B and the SP8 at different times and on different systems.  The person who owned the 6B had also said it was the best of the SP6’s (SP6A - SP6E).  I also read from the later Roger Modjewski (Music Reference) in his tech days before starting MR, that he hated working on Audio Research gear, that the circuitry was always over complicated and difficult to work on.  So something to keep in mind perhaps.  I’ll look for your private message.  The journey is the fun part :).

Lou, Thanks again.  I have been reading all of the praises regarding ARC equipment, and I'm sure that it is justified.  When I looked at photos of the inside of the SP-6B, for instance, it does look very crowded.  I have very limited experience tinkering with electronics, but simpler is usually easier.