Tube or not to tube?

hey,

i am grappling with the same question. everytime i get the urge to thro a grand into tubes, i just turn on my rig., i invested in a tube audio design tad-150 preamp awhile ago when they were available and the combination of 200 wpc ss and a nice tube preamp gives you such a nice sound with very little of the maintenance issues that come into play with tubes, and you can drive any speaker you want.

so try a tube preamp with what you have.

IMO, you should have no problem driving your Emma loudspeakers (86db/1w/1m, 8 ohm minimum) with a Prologue 2 or similar push-pull tube integrated as long as you are listening at moderate volumes not exceeding 95db.

Tube amps don't require herculean efforts nor advanced degrees, but they do require one to use sufficiently appropriate speakers in order to achieve a listening experience that goes far beyond what you've experienced with SS, though many would disagree. It's the best audio move I ever made, and I don't intend to return to SS. Lots of nice amps available, so do some web research, do some Googling, check out some of the Audiogon virtual systems.

if I do try a tube amp like the Primaluna can I use my NAD 162 pre-amp? cd player and turntable connection.

11-24-06: Musicrover
if I do try a tube amp like the Primaluna can I use my NAD 162 pre-amp? cd player and turntable connection.

I'm not sure I understand the question about being able to use your CD player and turntable connection.

You can certainly use your CD player with the Prologue 2, and if the Prologue 2 has the phono card, then you can use your turntable.

Since the Prologue 2 is an integrated amp, then you don't need to use your NAD preamp. Whether you can use it if you choose to use it is not a question I can answer. I suggest you look at the info on the Upscale Audio website.