Is a tube buffer a good thing?

I used a Yaqin tube buffer that used two 6sn7 tubes. It did make a difference, it's not to be confused with a tube output stage. I'm not sure the tube output stage could be the same as a tube buffer. The tube buffer is considered a cathode follower. If the tube output stage in the Marantz is the same type of circuit then it may work.

The other difference is the Marantz is definitly voiced warmer and more musical than the Oppo stuff. This being said I do own a Oppo 205 and the difference between my Oppo and my Krell for SACD's it's Krell all day.
I'd look for the Yaqin that uses 6sn7 tubes on the used market, they're not very expensive and it should give you a good idea at not too much out of pocket.

A well designed tube buffer will do nothing to the signal, and it will operate at unity gain. Google, e.g., "cathode follower" and see how a triode can be used to make a phenomenally good buffer. A properly designed tube buffer will improve impedance matching (which is what a buffer does -- or, at least, what it should do). Buffering (with a tube or with solid state gizmos) can certainly have a positive sonic effect, if (and only if) impedance matching is an issue between two components.

Now, here's the thing.

About 10 or 15 years ago, there was a plague fad of really cheap and cheezy "tube buffers", mostly from a large Asian country*. Though sold as "tube buffers", these were, by and large, in fact "effects boxes" (as a guitarist would call them) with designs deliberately (or otherwise), ummm, designed to add some... ummm... color to the sound. They tend(ed) to run their tubes at very unfavorable operating points (e.g., very low plate voltage) which is guaranteed to make them nonlinear generators of all sorts of distortion.

If that's what you want, you can certainly get it. Some kinds of distortion are quite pleasant to listen to.

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* A country that is perfectly capable of making and selling very good audio equipment.

I would avoid using one because IMO less is more.

I had a Yaqin buffer here for a brief visit. I couldn't notice any change in the sound and neither could the fellow I bought it from which is why he sold it to me. The good thing is it sold quickly for what I paid for it. I also had a vintage Pioneer tubed reverb unit here to play with. That unit changed the sound even the gain turned way down. But the change was not to my liking.
My thoughts are money could be better spent elsewhere rather than on these devices.

newbie308 wrote: »

I suppose another option would be to use the Oppo as a transport and find a DAC that would give me the sound I'm looking for?

I would agree with the majority here that tube buffers are not the way to go. I had the Musical Fidelity x10v3 also and was not happy with it. You can probably find my write-up “Some people gotta learn the hard way”, on this forum why I didn’t like it.

A good quality solid-state DAC or tube-dac (meaning tubes in the output stage) should give a more musical result with the Oppo as transport.

Maybe try Denafrips Ares II (haven’t heard this myself) or look for a used Jolida Tubedac III (happy owner; new production Tung-sol 5751 sounds superb in this dac if you can find them).

newbie308 wrote: »

I suppose another option would be to use the Oppo as a transport and find a DAC that would give me the sound I'm looking for?

This is probably the best solution. Not the least expensive, but best, IMO.

H9

invalid wrote: »

Clipdat wrote: »

I would avoid using one because IMO less is more.

If that is true, then we should all be using single ended triode amps with high sensitivity speakers...

Wait, you mean some of y'all don't?

Tube buffers got a bad rep from all the cheap ones bing sold.

Yup. Although most components won't need a good one. I could absolutely see using a good buffer (ss or vacuum tube) with a "passive preamp" (like an AVC or TVC, that is) to improve matching to the power amplifier. Indeed, it'd be a good thing to for me to try sometime...

newbie308 wrote: »

jbreezy5 wrote: »

newbie308 wrote: »

I suppose another option would be to use the Oppo as a transport and find a DAC that would give me the sound I'm looking for?

I would agree with the majority here that tube buffers are not the way to go. I had the Musical Fidelity x10v3 also and was not happy with it. You can probably find my write-up “Some people gotta learn the hard way”, on this forum why I didn’t like it.

A good quality solid-state DAC or tube-dac (meaning tubes in the output stage) should give a more musical result with the Oppo as transport.

Maybe try Denafrips Ares II (haven’t heard this myself) or look for a used Jolida Tubedac III (happy owner; new production Tung-sol 5751 sounds superb in this dac if you can find them).

I spent a few hours last night looking at tube DAC's and Tube preamps. I really love the phono section on the Threshold SL10, so I am reluctant to change my preamp, and it would be a shame to separate it from the Threshold amplifier. Based on that, I am open to suggestions for a quality DAC (new or used) that is in the $850 - $1400 price range and produces a sweeter "tube" sound. I understand that R to R DAC's are supposed to have a more analog sound, so I would probably like that. I saw a Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 for about $1k delivered while searching. I was also looking at a Audio Note Kit 2.1 DAC. It's a little more than I was looking to spend at $1750 right now, but I can wait and save for it.

I’ve had my eye on MF Tri-vista 21 also this year.

Seems like a good option.

jbreezy5 wrote: »

I’ve had my eye on MF Tri-vista 21 also this year.

What's your budget?

Tom

treitz3 wrote: »

jbreezy5 wrote: »

I’ve had my eye on MF Tri-vista 21 also this year.

What's your budget?

Tom

Lets say up to $3,000.

Honestly man. It’s what you like. If it makes you listen to more music for longer, it’s the right move.