2. amps-preamps
  3. 166761-976

Your tube preamp and ss amp thread

Last night I was listening to my tube preamp and my tube mono blocks, noticed an imbalance in the sound, and as usual I traced it to a tube problem in the mono blocks. Luckily, I also own a ss stereo amp as a 'backup'. IME, ss amps tend to be a lot more reliable than tube amps. Nonetheless, I would be interested in how many other folk run a tube preamp and ss amp combo, and if so, what are your choices.
128x128daveyf
gaal
64 posts
 
Running a Linear Tube Audio MZ3 and upgraded SMc Audio DNA-1. I recently added Iconoclast ICs and am replaying my favorites - very impressed and happy!
tympan33
20 posts
 
Preamp Aries Cerat Incito S + D-Sonic mono amps or Hegel H30
Jubilant!!!
sheridan50
14 posts
 
Audio Research LS 28 McIntosh 601’s ....... lovely !

The guitar amps comments are interesting. Largely music style 
dependent but tubes still rule that world.......solid state is closing the gap though. 
midareff1
182 posts
 
Vintage gear:  Audio Research LS2B MKII into a pair of Sumo Andromeda IIa MOSFET power amps into Acoustat electrostatic hybrids.  30 years of surviving shoot outs.  Maybe they go in the coffin with me..  
Ag insider logo xs@2x
bfoura
88 posts
 
Over the past year, been using a Audible Illusions L3A with a combination of SS amps in this order. 
McIntosh MC152
Rowland Model 12
Pass XA 30.5
and now a Levinson 532H

All combinations sounded good to my ears. I’m interested in going for an even blacker background which I think there could be limits with a tube preamp. Kind of a trade off between detail with a SS preamp or a musical tube preamp presentation. I’ve read reviews that the AI L3B provides that blacker background but that’s going to cost me another $3k, so I might change out tubes on the L3A for now to hear what happens. 
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