Tube buffer

[timdahm]

Hi All,

Is it worth adding a tube buffer to a system in terms of sound quality realized?

Thanks all,

 

[ferninando]

IMO, in a word, no.

 

[Batch68]

IMO, in a word, no.

+1. You are far better off getting a tube pre-amp if you don't want to go w/ a whole tube system.

B

 

[jaymanaa]

Anything that is in the signal path can only take away from the original recording. However, if the SS gear is of a poor design or construction, sometimes masking the sounds it puts out can be an improvement. HiFi means faithful to the original, and the more stuff in the path can only change the original (maybe to the good, or maybe to the bad). It all depends on your ears and what they like, but speaking purely from a technical point of view, it would make more sense to take the buffer money and fix the real problem (if one exists).

 

[davidb1]

I had one for a while (Musical Fidelity X10-D) that I really liked at first.
After a couple of months I could hear it added a certain "sameness" to everything. Sold it and got a DAC, much happier.