Tube DAC with solid state pre and solid state amp


Any one out there that has used or listened to this set up?
Ag insider logo xs@2xrallais
Yes. I have Rallais. I use an Eastern Electric Minimax DAC with a Kavent S33 solid state preamp and a pair of Red Dragon M1000 solid state monoblock amps during the summer. This set-up finally made Class D amps very very enjoyable in my system. Got great bass in my system and vocals that weren't dull.

What tube DAC and other gear do you have in your system? What gear are you looking at?
Likewise I have the EE minimax DAC with Wyred4sound monoblocks and a Modwright pre-amp. Its all about synergy between components. One compensates for another since there are no absolutes. your room, your ears, your gear. My Modwright pre-amp has subtle tube overtones but is not very "tubey" with the tubes I have in it. Too many of one thing is bad, but just the right amount...... You will have to experiment yourself.
To answer your question directly, no. If I were going to throw tubes in to the mix, I think I'd do it the other way around: a tube pre and keep the DAC SS.

Tgrisham, I'm assuming you run the EE minimax through the tube output stage. What effect does it have on your system when you switch the tube output stage off and go SS instead? The reason I ask is because I've read where some prefer the SS in the DAC over the tube. If I remember correctly, speed in the base was an attribute to the SS that was preferred over the tube.
Yes, Lampizator tube Dacs with a rowen modded NAD c375 BEE SS integrated.

I preferred this to my demo with a PrimaLuna dialog 2 tube integrated. Tighter bass, yet with equally sweet mids and highs.