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I have two SET amps: An Audio Note (UK) Conqueror Silver 6SN7 to 300B in each channel and a U52 rectifier, and an older Don Garber Fi Audio set of 2A3 direct coupled mono amps. For a long time I have used various tube preamps with these 2 SET amps and others before them. But I am now running both of these amps with a Gilbert Yeung custom SS preamp that comes in 2 boxes. The improvement in sound quality has been amazing. Yes, some-not all of the "bloom" in my SET amps is gone, replaced by a 50-50 balance of bloom and truth, with far better instrumental and vocal texture, and a very black background.
I wonder if anyone else has found this mating (SET and SS) enjoyable?
Follow Ups:
and I've been a happy camper for 20+ years!
My only two preamps are tube driven.
There's Georges B-3000 with external PSU.
Amps are Cary SLAM 100s that kept blowing coupling caps.
Chris
is that A) manufacturers have designed and sold a lot of poorly designed VT preamps, and B) consumers are pretty good at matching the wrong preamp to the wrong amp when creating a system. Then there's the need to verify specifications periodically, and particularly whenever tubes are replaced. Most people can't be bothered, and so the gear gradually falls into a poor state of performance.
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
Edits: 04/11/21
And why we purchase different interconnects when using high output impedance preamps.
Was going to say something like, 'get better VT linestages'. I have yet to want better than I can currently build. Does not stop me from trying, and the next bit I plan to try is DH stuff... :)
Now I don't have anything SE in use, so 'cleaning them up with a SS linestage' has not looked like a useful path.
cheers,
Douglas
Friend, I would not hurt thee for the world...but thou art standing where I am about to shoot.
You should also consider a TVC (transformer volume control). I found a resistive volume control superior to a SS preamp on my SET, and a TVC far better than the RVC.
I can attest to that with my 01a preamp, used one of Dave Slagle's at the output which lowered output impedance.
...or, use one of Slagle's autoformer volume controls all by itself without a preamp...
I use Pass ACP+ and Wayne Colburn BA2018 Linestage preamps for my 300B, 2A3, SE El34, and 45 amps. I also have DHT preamps (201A and 26) and enjoy them too.
https://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_ba_3.pdf
I just finished a Burning Amp 3 Pre and it sounds as good, if not outright better, than the 01a. I had the boards and all the parts and a spare aluminium base so I went for the BA-3. The power supply is similar to the bride of zen, good old cap multiplier with zener reference. You can build this amp for peanuts, especially compared to the 01a with it's multiple transformers, chokes, tubes, and what nots. I am a big Pass fan and of course I was expecting it to be good. But the 01a was so far ahead of what I'd heard before (and the 26 was so far ahead of my existing RME ADI-2 Pro) that I didn't think it could be beaten. Boy, am I wrong! The BA-3 does everything the 01a does and better. The soundstage is deeper and more realistic so I could switch absolute polarity on songs. I had never heard the difference from a polarity switch before, it made a small change on the 01a, but with the BA-3 it was night and day on some songs. On others, it doesn't matter. The front end uses 2SK170 and 2SJ74. Now Linear Systems LSK170/LSJ74
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/317563-replacement-toshiba-2sk170-2sj74.html
Hi Andy,
I heard the BA-3 front end and I agree that its sounds great. Have you heard the ACP+ yet? Please do if you have a chance.
At present, my 01A and 26 preamps are gathering dust.
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