Tube-SS or SS-tube preamp-amp combination:which is better?

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Thread: Tube-SS or SS-tube preamp-amp combination:which is better?

muddasir waheed malik

Bronze Member

Username: Cruel_summer

Post Number: 12
Registered: Aug-09

Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 04:00 am:

recently going through this post i got this strange feeling that there might be some truth in it.http://www.soundstage.com/noisy04.htm
The tube pre amp certainly will add warmth but would it be replicated in ss amp? i am not sure because the ss would again introduce cross over distortion and odd order harmonics, similarly the ss pre-amp would introduce cross over distortion and odd harmonics at line level waiting to be amplified by a ss. BTW i tried krell krc-hr preamp with krell fpb 600 both ss with krell krc-hr preamp with cary 805 tube,the tube warmth is still there but i am not sure if it could be much dramatic with all tubebut really a nice thing to explore .....tube-SS preamp-amp combo or SS-tube preamp-amp cobo?

Jan Vigne

Platinum Member

Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13929
Registered: May-04

Posted on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 10:15 am:

.

Slow the train and get off at the next station.

From the linked article, "Pro-Tube arguments: they sound more like music; modern tube equipment is reliable (mostly); the essential midrange can be presented with almost magical 'rightness'; highs sound smooth, floaty and pleasantly real; there are factories still producing all the popular tubes so supplies will be around for the foreseeable future; you seem to get more loudness from less watts with tube amps."

I don't see anything in there about a tube pre amp introducing "warmth", do you?

If you are expecting a "tube sound" from a modern tube pre amp, you should be looking at a pre amp that admits it has no pretensions to fidelity. This wrong headed idea that tubes have a sound is quite old fashioned and is surely as untrue for glass as it is for sand.

The concept of fidelity is, as the author indicates, to present a musical "rightness" that is superior to lesser equipment. If you should prefer the sound of, say, a CJ PV3 with its obvious reliance on tube "sound", then you have every provision to find such a product but it will not be "high fidelity".

Your reduction of tubes and solid state to simple numbers is also misguided IMO and you should be looking and listening with different eyes and better ears. For the most part tubes and solid state measure unlike one another - unless, of course, you measure tubes and FET's. But the old fashioned belief that tubes do this and solids state does that belongs in the trash bin with side draft carbuerators and knee action shocks.

Further, your assumption that tube sound is the result of not much more than a lack of crossover distortion suggests you do not understand push pull circuitry - or tubes at all - and your belief in odd order harmonics giving the key to tube sound is equally as off track.

It seems we've been down this road several times with your inquiries. You don't appear to be getting what we are telling you.

.

muddasir waheed malik

Bronze Member

Username: Cruel_summer

Post Number: 13
Registered: Aug-09

Posted on Friday, September 25, 2009 - 12:24 pm:

quite right i agree with it some ways. the idea was not to generate the old ss Vs tube controvery but the thought of SS and tube combination in pre and amp was what intrigued me. THE question is that if one would pair a ss with a tube which combination would be better(lets say theoretically) tube-ss or ss-tube in a pre-amp combo. i hope it makes sense to put this question.

Jan Vigne

Platinum Member

Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13935
Registered: May-04

Posted on Friday, September 25, 2009 - 12:50 pm:

.

There is no correct answer to that. You have to listen to the system and decide what is right for you. There are technical reasons to do this or that but it comes down to the sound and you are the one who must live with the sound. Therefore, there is no answer to a hypothetical that is so broadly posed.

.

Nuck

Platinum Member

Username: Nuck

Post Number: 13561
Registered: Dec-04

Posted on Friday, September 25, 2009 - 01:31 pm:

Tube Amp. Tube Sound, Yubey, Tube-like...
The darn tube makes no sound on it's own, but the implementation creates sound.

Pick your poison... and your speakers.

David Mitchell

Gold Member