solid state and tube

JimBRICK
JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
edited July 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
IF you were going to add tubes which way would you go and why?


tube preamp with solid state power amp

or

solid preamp with tube power amp


what do you think?
2 CHANNEL
Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
Under construction
Post edited by JimBRICK on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited June 2007
    Tube preamp with solid state power amp.

    Or you could add a tube source.

    Either way it is cheaper and easier to get a good tube pre that will work with your system as opposed to a tube amp.

    Jared
    The Basement HT
    PC Rig
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tom t
    tom t Posts: 543
    edited June 2007
    same here, tube preamp solid amp
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited June 2007
    do you still have to bias a preamp?
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,029
    edited June 2007
    It depends on a lot of factors, Jim. Type / impedance / sensitivity of speaker, power output wanted, available speaker placement room, floor standers, bookshelf's, etc.

    A good friend of the forum always says "Piss poor planning leads to a piss poor performance". Catch my drift. At least you are gonna be starting from scratch. My advice; don't jump into anything real quick, and spend some time doing a lot of research and asking questions such as this. There are many choices ahead.

    You also have to throw into the mix that our tastes my not be what your tastes are. Can you describe to the best of your ability what it is that you are looking for in a system?
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited June 2007
    Good used tube pre,, ss amp,IMO a great combination. If you see an ELP pop up--grab it.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited June 2007
    this system is going to be for comfortable listening nothing crazy loud. using lsi7's so I want 150-200 watts per channel . I found an adcom GFA-555 for $325, now I want to find a tube or solid state preamp for $400-$500. but would like to try the tube preamp to see if its for me

    I want what everyone wants. To close my eyes and feel like I'm right in the recording studio with the band

    running a cd player and phono and have my satillite hooked up for the music channels

    room is 20x18 and full of furniture and equipment with a lanolium (sp)floor. but I have an area rug



    SO YES GUYS I'VE FINALLY STARTED PURCHASING LOL
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited June 2007
    Quick ?, if this is for "comfortable listening nothing crazy loud" why on earth do you need so much power?

    I had the 7s running off ~15wpc for a while and could get it quite loud, with 65wpc it would go to uncomfortably loud.
    The Basement HT
    PC Rig
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited June 2007
    I want the wattage for clarity as well. THese speakers are power hungry and I want to hear everything they will give me. Also later on if I change the speakers out I'm ready power wise
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    No matter what else I recommend a tube pre. I think the pre is the most important part of the chain because it is adding a lot of gain at a very small level. That is harder to do correctly than anything else and tubes are up to the job. I also like tube amplifiers for different reasons. (They just sound good). :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,068
    edited June 2007
    I'm running a CJ PV14L tube preamp (Mullards) along with Van Alstine OmegaStar SS amp & the Van Alstine Ultra DAC (hybrid). Wonderful combination. My motto...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited June 2007
    i Love This Hobby
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited June 2007
    I like the $400-$500 tubed preamp with SS power amp, but only if you spend enough to get a quality power amp. Look into Parasound, Marsh, Belles, Odyssey, ATI, Gemstone, Classe, Krell, Emotiva, Aragon and even Outlaw etc. as starting places.

    The voicing of a nice tubed pre can be wasted if cheap power is added.
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,901
    edited June 2007
    jim, have you thought about a 50 to 100 watt tube integrated amp?
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
    Puritan PSM156
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited June 2007
    Grab an NAD c272 amp, that thing has more power than you will probably ever need, yet it measures about as well as many of the brands one of the previous poster has recommended.

    Tubed pre to NAD poweramp, that to me, seems like a winning budget combo.

    Like, try to find a bottlehead foreplay preamp to go with some good old SS muscle.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited June 2007
    Your looking for a bottle to use as fore-play with a preamp with good muscles????
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2007
    FWIW,, there is a Dodd Audio,reference preamp at AC for 1750.00,,maybe a little out of your price range,but nonetheless a sweet pre.:)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited July 2007
    Hey george just a little outta my range :) its gorgeous tho
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter