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Mixing tube and solid state components in a system. Does this opinion sound reasonable?

jm55

jm55

Well-Known Member
I am going to be adding a tube amplifier to my system. I currently have a solid state amp and a solid state preamp. In reading online opinion, I came across this webpage that claims a solid state preamp with a tube amplifer is not a good combination. See about halfway down the page under the heading "How do you mix tubes and solid state":

http://www.soundstage.com/noisy04.htm

The notion that solid state preamps in combination with tube amps is not good is new to me, and seems questionable, especially in light of the millions of possible combinations with specific components, of which only a fraction could ever be tested. In any event, I am curious to hear insight from those who have had experience in mixing tube and solid state amps and preamps. Is there any truth to this idea that in general ss preamps do not mix well with tube amps?
 
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Ive used SS preamps with tube amps. Impedance can be a problem, but ive had good results. I prefer tube preamp to SS amp though. But thats just me.
 
i do it on a regular basis.
SS preamp to tube amp. mostly. i have no SS pwramps to go the other way.
as long as the Z's are happy with each other theres no problem. usually they are.

just try it and see how it sounds to U.
 
It doesn't make sense to me at all that this would be a problem. I use such a combination myself and it works perfectly fine. Quite nicely, in fact. That article is full of audiophile mumbo-jumbo. "Edgy"? If your pre-amp is well designed, has a flat frequency response and low distortion, then this is just a psychosomatic symptom.

I'd actually go so far as to say the tube pre-amp followed by solid state power amp is actually a pretty poor combination, especially if we're talking about a vintage pre-amp, many of which were designed to drive the high input impedance of vintage power amps. Solid state power amps typically have an input impedance of ~47K ohms, so unless the tube pre-amp drives its outputs with a cathode follower (or some other low output impedance circuit topology), you're setting yourself up for problems. Conversely, solid state pre-amps typically have a very low output impedance and can drive just about anything.
 
Opinions ... harumph.

Been running tube amps with solid state pre's here for hears. Currently driving both a Latino ST120 and an Eico HF12 with the pre section of a Sansui QRX 9001.

With a tube DAC of course ... can't use SS DACs with a tube amp. That's just not right ... pass it on. ;-}
 
With the caveat that IME, it is easier to find a solid state preamp that sucks, than it is to find a tube preamp that sucks- there's no inherent reason using a SS preamp with a tube amp can't work well. If the preamp is good quality and working well, there's no reason you can't get good sound out of it, no matter if it's solid state or not, and no matter whether it's connected to a tube or a SS amp.

I knew someone who ran a PS Audio preamp with an Anthem (or was it AMC? It was one or the other) tube amp for several years. His system certainly sounded quite good!

Regards,
Gordon.
 
I use a SS preamp with a tube amp, and I love how it sounds with certain speakers, typically more sensitive speakers like the Heresy's I have now. However, the same combo did not sound so great with less sensitive speakers. There are too many variables to make absolute statements about these combinations. Just have to keep trying new stuff until you find what sounds good to you. Makes it easier to justify buying new gear too...
 
Jm55, don't believe everything you read. If you know the physics and how electronics and sound systems work, this is a perfectly normal thing to do and has been being done for years. Even I have and use both set ups and like the way it works for me with what I own.

Most preamps tube or solid state, will have the voltage to push most amps depending on their input sensitivity.

If you are wanting to use a solid state preamp with a tube amp, you will most definitely be surprised. My barn system uses a solid state mixer driving and all tube amplifier system.
 
most good SS amps had S/N ratios of 80db and better, so no problem there.
However U would need a totally hum free tube preamp! Mine are.
 
One example of the historical precedence is what I believe was McIntosh's first transitional integrated amp, the MA-230 from 1963. It combined a SS pre-amp with a 30W stereo tube power amp. It's not perhaps renowned as a great pre-amp, but perfectly workable. There also seem to be plenty of folks out there who advocate using a tube pre-amp to inject some tube flavor into a modern SS system.
 
Thanks for all the interesting replies. I now have a better understanding of the general consensus of mixing SS pre's with tube amps.
 
I've done all three (tube pre / tube power, tube pre / SS power, SS pre / tube power). All have their merits. At work, I have an Aikido tube preamp into a DGSE-1 tube amplifier. For my main home system I'm using a Yamaha C4 SS pre into a variety of tube power amplifiers. In the past, I used a Lazarus Cascade Basic tube pre with a Robertson 4010 SS power amp. I think just as critical a question is what sort of speakers will you be running? If you have efficient speakers and are planning on low-power amplifiers, then perhaps a solid-state preamp with its inherently low noise might be the best choice. If you have power-hungry speakers that require a lot of wattage, then a solid state power amp is probably your best choice, but you may want a little tube flavor.

Oh, and in regards to bass, why not a solid-state powered sub?

None of these combos are necessarily right or wrong, it all depends on your ear.

-D
 
During my retail audio days, the best combo I ever listened to was a conrad-johnson tube preamp with an Edge Electronics SS amp. Definitely gave it that "tube flavor" as derekva says. I've also done it the other way, with Bryston SS pre into a Rogue tube amp. Lots of good combos out there, it's all about choice. There may be some combos that don't work well, but I haven't encountered them.

Cheers,
Larry B.
 
Just try different combinations and decide for yourself.

The statement about a solid state preamp with tube power amp being a bad combination? The only thing I can say is that combination worked just fine for me.
 
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Dynaco PAT5 to Dynaco Stereo 70 sounds great. As did a Dynaco PAS 2 to a Citation 11. Don't let idiot generalizations stop you from trying what you want to try. The only possible issue could arise from a high output impedance device feeding a low input impedance device. That is more specific device related then technology related.

Have fun experimenting.

Shelly_D
 
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