Tube+solid state

srikarkav

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
1,052
Points
63
Location
chennai
Hi Guys,

I have been thinking if i can add a tube pre amp to my vintage Marantz solid state amp and wondered what will be the result. i googled and found this interesting article.Do you guys agree with this article? Your thoughts please.
Thanks.


The Noisy Audiophile

cheers,
sri
 
Well i tend to agree with most of the article and remember reading this a long while ago too while a friend was looking for an AR VTube pre.
If going tubed this is what i would do. I doubt i will be entirely happy with tube amplification but a tube pre does work well.
Points to note - The reference to the cables in the article are perplexing actually. A Kimber KCAG as the interlink for that combo????? I would not but thats my opinion and this KCAG will cost about 50K. All cardas or all VDH is what a few have tried with Tube/SS combos with superb results.
RGds
 
M getting Viren's tube pre to pair with my SS NAD next month. There's many of us going that way :)

Cheers
 
Mr Srikarkav,
BEST ADVICE = DONT DO IT.
These marantz amps are anyway smooth sounding and i dont know the % of satisfaction ( if any) a tube will give. The pre section in old marantz was supposed to be very good so why bypass?

If one has a hard/edgy sound that is so totally old school solid state u may mellow it by opting for a tube preamp.
Rgds
 
Last edited:
Mr Srikarkav,
BEST ADVICE = DONT DO IT.
These marantz amps are anyway smooth sounding and i dont know the % of satisfaction ( if any) a tube will give. The pre section in old marantz was supposed to be very good so why bypass?

If one has a hard/edgy sound that is so totally old school solid state u may mellow it by opting for a tube preamp.
Rgds


Well there goes my tube dream!

Thanks for your well meaning advice Mr Dinyar.

sri
 
Hello guys,
I just tried this experiment. I connected my Lyrita tube pre amp to my onkyo Tx Sr705 receiver and listend music in the pure audio mode. I must say there is quite a bit improvement in the sound. I am yet to try out the TT in this fashion. Will post my experience. I just had a chat with Viren and what I understood that in order to capture the true colours of a tube pre amp we must connect it to a power amp. If we connect it to a integrated amp or AVR it is bit difficult to entirely bypass the solid state pre amplification.
Thnaks.
 
Last edited:
Mahiruha - so you have got your tube amp delivered? Congratulations!

Could you favour us with a short writeup as to how you like it along with any other pertinent observations?

Also as far as I have understood from talks with Viren, he does not normally recommend connecting his tube amp up with even an integrated receiver.
 
Srikarkav

There's a member on the forum by the name of anm and has done the same as you desire, He has a Lyrita tube preamp and SS Harmon Kardon

--
Bryston + B&W
 
Hello guys,
I just tried this experiment. I connected my Lyrita tube pre amp to my onkyo Tx Sr705 receiver and listend music in the pure audio mode. I must say there is quite a bit improvement in the sound. I am yet to try out the TT in this fashion. Will post my experience. I just had a chat with Viren and what I understood that in order to capture the true colours of a tube pre amp we must connect it to a power amp. If we connect it to a integrated amp or AVR it is bit difficult to entirely bypass the solid state pre amplification.
Thnaks.

Nice ! :)

Can you give us more details as to what exactly improved with the sound?
Pace ... Rhythm .. Timing ... Detail ... Soundstage ... Tonality .. Body ... Highs .. Mids .. Lows ... Imaging ... Presence ... Dynamics ... ?

Cheers
 
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
Back
Top