SS Preamp with Tube Amp?

can a SS preamp do the tube amp justice to maintain the tube amp's liquidity, sweetness, wonderful midrange, etc.

Yes, certainly, if the two components match up well.

The 6Moons review of your amplifier describes its sound as follows:

Extrapolating from that, we can characterize the RM 10 as slightly on the lean, fast, accurate and linear side of the common tube fence. Comparing that assessment against what I sense are Roger Modjeski's sensibilities as a designer, it seems fitting, factual and deliberate.

Given that, what would probably be the best matchup would be a solid state preamp that leans (or errs) in the direction of emulating a tube-like sound, rather than one that tends to be toward the analytical/resolving part of the spectrum, or even at the neutral center.

I can't comment on the Capri, but I would suggest that several of the 1990's Classe preamps fall into that category (solid state preamps with tube-like sonic characteristics), including the DR5, DR6, CP50, CP60, and possibly the CP35. I currently use a CP60 with a Chinese-made Paxthon 8 x EL34 (not 84) 80 wpc amplifier, and I've been very pleased with the combination. Most notable, I would say, is that the soundstage produced by this combination is enormous, although I attribute that more to the power amp than the preamp.

I've also had very good results previously with a vintage Mark Levinson ML1 solid state preamp driving various hi-end vintage tube amps, including Marantz 2's and 9's (which I no longer have, in case anyone reading this is tempted to ask).

Regards,
-- Al

IMO you typically loose that tube sound running a ss pre, thats my experience ..try it the other way around,,, ss amp w/tube pre.....

If you can understand why the sonic charcter of any system is determined 85% or more by the amp/speaker (and speaker cable) combo, then you'll understand that if you want "tube sound" then you need a tube amp -- i.e., a tube preamp and a ss amp won't do it (contrary to what many people think ;-) Also, tube preamps make tube noise which is amplified by the amplifier. Tube amplifiers by themselves (genreally speaking) make no noise.

I drive my McIntosh MC275 with a Mark Levinson 26s preamp and the system is quiet, fast, and beautifully balanced sonically speaking. The main attributes of a preamp should be accuracy and blackest background. Since preamps do not process (amplify) the signal, but rather simply select sources and attenuate their output (volume control ;-) there's not much they can do to adulterate the signal, so may as well have a quiet preamp and go SS IMO.

After that, the amp and speakers will determine what your system actually sounds like.

My Capri with VAC Auricle Musicblocs is a nice combination. Prior to getting the VAC amps the RM-10 was on my short list to use with the Capri.

FWIW I also like, and to a degree prefer, a passive preamp in front of tube amps. I'm using a couple different ones in my system right now. The Lightspeed attenuator and the Slagleman Autoformer Volume Control.