[Charles Calkins]

Any body out there got opinions? I've got a CJ PF-R preamp and I've got nothing to complain about. But I'm wondering if anybody went from solid state to tube preamp and how did they like the results. In the back of my brain I'm thinking a tube pre is something I'd like to try.

                     Cheers
                     Charlie

[warnerwh]

If you think a tube pre is something you'd like to try you should. You can buy a used one from Audiogon and not lose much if anything if you don't like it. There are various amounts of tube sound from different manufacturers.  I won't go back to a SS pre. The improvement in realism, body and imaging is too much to give up.  Vocals are easily superior. The dynamics with my ARC pre are every bit as good as the Krell I'd been using prior with no loss of highs or lows. I use VMPS Supertower/R SE's and if there was a weakness in the bottom or top end it would have been obvious with these speakers. I tried a little Cary to see what a tube pre would do and it was way too syrupy and loose but I knew I was on the right track. SS alone just can't quite get there when it comes to natural sound, at least in my opinion. I also use a Parasound HCA 3500 SS amp.  I don't think I'd care for a tube power amp also unless it just ran the mids and highs.  Bottom line is you have little to lose and very very much enjoyment to gain.  You can always get another CJ PFR but I doubt you'll want to. Try a Conrad Johnson or ARC pre. Ask others for suggestions also as there are many and I"m not that well versed. I'm very happy as I only wanted some tube sound, not major liquidity in the top and bottom and the ARC pre's are known for almost not having enough tube sound.  You can say good bye to any grain, something that I had a tad of even with the Krell.

[Mad DOg]

Any body out there got opinions? I've got a CJ PF-R preamp and I've got nothing to complain about. But I'm wondering if anybody went from solid state to tube preamp and how did they like the results. In the back of my brain I'm thinking a tube pre is something I'd like to try.

                     Cheers
                     Charlie

everyone's system and preferences are different. and whether or not you'll like a tube preamp is dependent upon your source, amp, speakers, and cabling. also it will depend on the specific tube pre and tube compliment. some tube preamps are very colored while others are almost solid state neutral.

you'll really need to try a few tube preamps out for yourself to decide. i started off w/ ss and then tried a few tube preamps and then ended up going back to ss. so where do i stand now? i'm in the middle...i find it just as easy to appreciate a high quality tube preamp as it is a ss preamp of equal quality.

[SWG255]

I've owned several good to excellent preamps over the years, and My two favorites have been the Conrad-Johnson Premier Two, their first Premier preamp, and tubed, and my current brand-new Premier 18LS, their first SS Premier preamp.

Bill and Lew know how to get musical magidc from their designs, whether SSor tube.

So, consider the rest of your system and maybe borrow a couple good tube units, but don't overlook modern SS preamps either.