What is the best cheap tube pre amp?
- Thread starter djnagle
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Lavane
Lunatic Member
I had bought a cheap hybrid preamp with a headphone jack about 5 years ago to use at my bench for testing amps after either repairing or building them. It sounds good and takes up very little space. There are others like it with aluminum faces. I replacednthe Chinese tubes with a pair of US made substitutes and it sounded much better. All in with new tubes was around $65.
It's a tube driver stage with a discrete single ended SS putput.
It's a tube driver stage with a discrete single ended SS putput.
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kwkshift
Well-Known Member
I have one of those I use daily. It's not *really* a tube preamp in my opinion since in A/B testing, I can tell no difference in the sound and it provides no gain. It's more a compact switcher with a volume control and remote. If that's what someone needs, it's fine.
If you're amplifying music that's starting life as a digitized computer signal, there's no reason to waste the money and effort on tubes. A good bipolar preamp will get the job done just as well.
Jack
This one has no tube at all best I can see. Missed the OP asked for a tube pre.
not a tube preamp
there are some really inexpensive chi-fi tube preamps. the kits are especially inexpensive. you can get a pas for $400 in good shape.
you sure thats actually a tube preamp?
See Post #7
It's not a tube preamp, but a tube headphone amp, which is what the OP is looking for.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
I like the description of the tubes in the add. "Tube Bile Duct".
COW BILE is my favoriteI like the description of the tubes in the add. "Tube Bile Duct".
FlaCharlie
Super Member
Lots of choices for $50 or so. In addition to Amazon, some eBay sellers seem to have stock that’s already in the US that won’t be affected by the tariffs.
There are 3 threads over on the New Gear Values forum about some of the more popular / basic ones and there are versions that have a variety of other features added if you need them, such as tone controls, headphone outputs, internal DACs, Bluetooth, remote controls, etc.
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PakProtector
AK member
I like the description of the tubes in the add. "Tube Bile Duct".
That translation came up in the SMPS adverts also. It is a simple confirmation that they did not follow The First Rule of translation. No.1 Put it back to original language; it better be Right.
Douglas
