Tube Vs. SS Preamps


Oddly in +25 yrs in the hobby, I’ve never really owned a tube preamp. Can you comment on what the differences are in general sonic terms? I want a really fatigue free sound with lots of body (I run class A and class AB solid state amps).

Do you find SS preamps to be fatiguing typically, more so on average than tube ones? Or is it simply the added bloom that's appealing with tube preamps?

greg7

Fatigue free, in my opinion , is talking of your ears, not the body.

Your body definitely will fatigue after several hours listening, however, your ear  is still enjoying  and want to have more time.that is fatigue free.

Get a Schiit Freya + and have the ability to switch between tubes and passive...great sounding sophisticated preamp for el cheapo.

Make sure that any tube preamp that you are considering has an output impedance compatible with your amplifiers.

Well, let's see.  The REVERED Marantz tube pre-amp was followed by the REVERED Audio Research tube pre-amp, that in its day, was said to be the best pre-amp ever produced.

Since then, they have improved it over and over.

Evidently, they know what they are doing and my suggestion is to TRY ONE IN YOUR ROOM and see if it fits your system.  YOU many not like it, but it seems that everyone from the Audio press to many customers think there is something there.

OR, they could all be 'wrong' and lying.  One way to find out, I guess...

Cheers!

Tube rectified,regulated 6sn7 tube pre,with class A amps is a wonderful combination.  To my ears,sounds great.  Absolutely no listening fatigue.