Tube Preamps that work well with SS amps?


I'm looking for a tube preamp after years of strictly SS. My amps will remain SS. Which tube preamp(s) in your experience mated well with a SS amp? I'm trying to avoid the odd phenomenon where tube preamp + SS amp = slow, soggy sound in spite of benign impedance characteristics

greg7

Hi Greg, I'm currently running a Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme preamp with Pass Labs XA 30.8 amp. These are pushing a pair of Audio Note AN-K's. I also have a Sonnet Morpheus DAC in the signal path when using my streamer and CD transport. I've had this set up together for about 3 months now and am very satisfied. 

It’s the other way around. You want a SS amp with higher input impedance to work with a tube-preamp. 100kohm is a good input impedance to look for but as low as 40-60 kohm may be fine. My combo is Audio Research sp16 pre to bel canto ref 1000m monoblocks. See system pics.

It has always been my opinion that mating a tube preamp with a solid state amp of the same company typically provides the best synergy.  I have experienced this with both Audio Research and McIntosh n the past.

mapman +1,

although was going to say Audio Research SP-3 through 16. I have had great results with all of them.  While I wish I still had the SP-3a, I still and use a SP-9 MKll.

All the best.

JD