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Tube Preamp in front of SS amp


mdbrien

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I have an Aragon 8008BB amp that I would like to run a JuicyMusic Peach Preamp with. I have no experience with tube amps or tube preamps. I do have a tube CD player (Jolida JD-100) and a tube phono stage (Jolida JD-9A). After reading the many great reviews on the Peach, I would really like to give it a try.

I know Todd (BS Button) gives the thumbs up with the Peach in front of SS amps. I would like to know if there are any others that have any experience with a tube pre in front of a SS amp, and what are their thoughts on the matter?

I would also like to know from anyone that has the Peach if they are satisfied with the stock tubes or did they find better ones for their taste? The reason I ask this question is, as I mentioned I have no experience with tubes and therefore if I went with the Peach I really would not know what tubes to try differently.

Any comments would be appreicated!

FYI- My speakers are the La Scalas

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Stay with the stock tubes if you get a Peach. If you get different tubes according to someone else's taste, whose taste are you going to trust when you get multiple different suggestions?

Differences from tube brand to tube brand are relatively minor and nothing to concern yourself with unless and until you feel you want a specific change, for instance, a little less emphasis on a particular frequency range. Then you can hunt for a tube with a reputation for having a sonic signature of the specific type you want.

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I am using an Audio Experience Symphonies+ tube preamp in front of a solid state Parasound HCA-1000A power amp with Cornwalls and have been very happy with the results. Even though my gear is different from yours, I thought I would chime in, and hopefully help out a bit. I would definetly recommend tube preamp with solid state amp.

-Jon

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Yes. Yes.

I have run a Peach in front of various ss amps (with RF-7s and unmodded Belles) and now run a Peach in front of a QSC PLX 1202 (with modded Belles). Loved all of the various combinations of tube pre and ss amp.

Review this thread for some Peach praise and perspective on this issue:

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/756263.aspx

Also, please do a search in two-channel - the issue of tube pre/ ss amp - has been addressed numerous times.

As to tubes, in my opinion, the stock Peach tubes are fine. I differ with Parrot a bit on some of the improvements that can be heard by upgrading to certain NOS tubes. Do a search under "Peach" and "tube(s)" and you will also see numerous threads on Peach rolling. I've weighed in on the subject a number of times

I do agree with Parrot that you should listen, wait, listen, and wait until you think about tube rolling your Peach until you figure out what you want to improve on. Then, you can listen to other people's experiences and/or look up reference materials. You may want to do an internet search re: "Joe's tube lore" that gives one guy's impressions of the various types of tubes in different, non-Peach equipment.

Carl.

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mdbrien, when i got my tubed pre amp I tried it out in front of my marantz ss amp and it was hard to turn off. I see where you are in new orleans, I live across the river send me a pm or email. Maybe we can get together and you could check out the differences in the two set ups. SS or tubes.

Jay

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I'm running an all-tube system now, but my introduction to valves was with an AMC CVT1050s vacuum tube preamp controlling my SS McIntosh MC7200 power amp driving Cornwalls, and it was a great sounding combination IMO. I did replace the stock Sovtek tubes with a pair of NOS '83 JAN Philips 12AU7s and 12AX7s in my pre, and the sound to my ears opened up a bit in the mids...YMMV natch.[Y]

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