[mr_bill]

I like a dash of tubes, and I put it at the beginning, where it costs less, and there is less of it. They are in my modified AudioNote DAC. They add that spaciousness that valves only can. From there the signal moves to a preamp. We can expand a screen to go video, and a switching device is an important convenience.

With my H2O Signature amps, careful preamp choice is a must. I found my trusty Aleph P preamp didn't cut it. A borrowed Adcom 750 did, only in active mode. You really shouldn't use a passive ...

Vince,
Anything you can share regarding the "H2O preamp" you're using?
Is Henry branching out!?
THanks,
bill

[muralman1]

Yes, Henry has begun production of a preamp.

[rmihai0]

I cannot recommend more tube amp and SS phono (Bent will be an excellent choice)

[doug s.]

i will always opt for a tubed preamp.  a good one will breathe life into the presentation.  it will give bloom & depth to the sound, while still being neutral, dynamic, and with good frequency extension.  i imagine you could get this w/a solid state preamp, but the cost will be more.  

the melos sha-gold-r is a tubed preamp that offers a passive setting, if you wanna try passive.  but, i amp partial to melos active preamplification.  

now, with amps, i think the cost equation kinda works the other way - you have to spend more to get neutrality & frequency extension out of tubed amps, while still getting everything else that solid state amps offer.  there's a couple exceptions to this - if you use high-efficiency speakers, tubed amplification can be less costly.  or, if you use subwoofers, you can use solid-state amplification for the subs; then the tubed amps don't have to play that last octave or so, which is their weak point.

as always, ymmv...  

doug s.

[Red Dragon Audio]

I'm currently rebuilding a Music Angel tubed preamp for a local audiophile friend and have listened extensively to it in my setup.  I have to agree with doug s.

...it will give bloom & depth to the sound, while still being neutral, dynamic, and with good frequency extension.

This tube preamp does exactly as doug says in my setup.

Obviously I am running my ICEpower amps with this tube preamp and it's a great match. Just keep in mind not all tube preamps are alike and just because it has a vaccuum tube in the circuit doesn't mean its going to sound good either.  So test them out in your system and listen to hear if you like a tube preamp in your stereo system(as opposed to "seeing" if you like it).

[doug s.]

I'm currently rebuilding a Music Angel tubed preamp for a local audiophile friend and have listened extensively to it in my setup.  I have to agree with doug s. This tube preamp does exactly as doug says in my setup.

Obviously I am running my ICEpower amps with this tube preamp and it's a great match. Just keep in mind not all tube preamps are alike and just because it has a vaccuum tube in the circuit doesn't mean its going to sound good either.  So test them out in your system and listen to hear if you like a tube preamp in your stereo system(as opposed to "seeing" if you like it).

ryan is certainly correct about not all tube preamps doing what yure gonna want 'em to do.  my 1st attempt w/a tubed pre was a rogue 99, magnum iteration.  while it had bloom & soundstaging depth, it was way coloured, had no bass response, & was *extremely* microphonic.  i was happy to see it go, & would have stuck w/my prior s/s preamps (electrocompaniet & linn), if i had to.  but, i didn't have to - i could try more!    next up was a cary slp98.  this was more like it - i really enjoyed this.  i only tried the melos cuz i had the opportunity to get a good deal on a modded ma333r, &  this was the model above the sha-gold i'd heard prior in a shop, that i was really impressed with.  i was actually hoping i would like the cary better than the melos, cuz it was so nice looking.    but, it was no comparison - the melos was so much better, in every peramater.  it did everything i've ever heard excellent solid state do - detail, neutrality  frequency extension...  soundstaging & dynamics were taken to new levels.   i was surprised how dynamic the melos pre is - this is supposedly one of s/s gear's strengths.

listening in your own system is extremely important.  the only way i was able to afford doing it was to buy used gear, so i could sell it w/o taking a beating.

doug s.