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is getting a tube pre a valid option with ss amp?

hello all, advice time again. I have decided to go ht in basement and as such, can go dedicated 2 channel in living room.. I am thinking of getting a tube pre as a 1st step, although my amp is a ss theta dread 2..which i am going to keep in my living room....is a tube pre a good move forward over ss pre?or..will there not be much sonic difference..i have dali hellicon speakers which it seems warm up very nice to tube sound..thanx, Dan
dan001
classical1
168 posts
 
I've had tube pre's 3 times with SS amps and have never been disappointed. Agree totally with Raquel about matching correctly.. Also, It might be good to make yourself familiar with costs associated with changing tubes. Many of the NOS tubes can be expensive to buy..(this may not be an issue for you but it's good to know.)
jw94055
125 posts
 
Yes. I've run a tube pre with three different solid state amps and have never had any problems. Don't worry about ultra expensive tubes, there are plenty of good tubes that will do the job. Google tubemonger to see plenty of choices.
eweedhome
227 posts
 
The only real problem with running a tube pre with ss amp is that, sooner or later, the seductiveness of the tube sound is going to cause you to start wondering what a tube amp would sound like. (And the answer is, pretty swell!) Subject to the impedence matching issues, I'd go for it.
mechans
2,999 posts
 
Get a tube power amp and an SS preamp. I assure you that there is unending ignorance about what truly gives you tube magic. NO NO NO tubes do not dull or mute the sound they actually as a rule brighten the sound. The tube magic is only describable when you have heard it but think of holographic imaging and tonal beauty. doing the tube pre on top of a hashy chiseling SS amp won't do didly.
unsound
6,115 posts
 
Most tube pres are cap coupled. Some tube pres are reputed to leak DC. If one wants to mate a tube pre with a ss amp, it is might be better to use a low output impedance tube pre and a high input impedance, cap coupled ss amp. There are a few DC coupled (like: Atmasphere and Sonic Frontiers) tube pres that make exceptions to those guidelines.
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