The issue with tube preamps is that they often have a rather high output impedance. On the other hand, why would you want a really transparent and accurate power amp, and then color/distort the sound with tubes?
If someone likes "tube sound", isn't it better applied with a preamp than with poweramp? With NCore poweramp you can still enjoy proper bass response.
^ Just for fun or as an option?
Even many latest DAC chips have tube and transistor emulation! VST plugin with Foobar etc. are old tricks
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/how-to-add-tube-sound-to-a-system.369011/
Topping D90LE https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...038pro-32bit-768khz-dsd512-black-p-16489.html
Even many latest DAC chips have tube and transistor emulation! VST plugin with Foobar etc. are old tricks
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/how-to-add-tube-sound-to-a-system.369011/
Topping D90LE https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...038pro-32bit-768khz-dsd512-black-p-16489.html
Yes, I was going to add "if one isn't comfortable with using DSP for it" as is quite often the case 🙂
The problem with these emulations is that they are linear, unlike real tube distortion, which gets higher with higher signal and behave differently at overdrive/clipping. So, IMO and experience, they don't sound like real tube (pre)amps.
My option is Prologue 3 https://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/1206luna/index.html
My option is Prologue 3 https://www.stereophile.com/tubepoweramps/1206luna/index.html
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The most transparent and lifelike amps I've listened to have all had tubes somewhere in the signal path.
Thanks for all the answers.
If I went with a purely digital solution, would a streamer into the Hypex FA123 and then the Hypex Remote Kit be enough? Invariably, I've always found that a system with a preamp sounds better than for instance DAC-direct with a digital volume control.
Anyone heard/used the Hypex Remote as their everyday volume up-down?
If I went with a purely digital solution, would a streamer into the Hypex FA123 and then the Hypex Remote Kit be enough? Invariably, I've always found that a system with a preamp sounds better than for instance DAC-direct with a digital volume control.
Anyone heard/used the Hypex Remote as their everyday volume up-down?
Your subjective perception is noted, but by all objective criteria, only the best tube amps come anywhere near the accuracy and transparency (as in "output signal as close to an amplifies copy of the input signal as possible") of modern solid state amps.
If for some reason you don't get the tube sound you are seeking, try adding series resistors after the power amp, about double of the Re of your drivers. I have a hunch that could have an effect for better.
Indeed. That will produce an uneven frequency response in the same way as the output transformer of a typical tube amp.
Yes, no problems in that.
- the argument about bit / resolution loss starts when you do the volume regulation on the source (streamer) but even that might not really be an issue in real life applications w. proper bit rates.
For the FA's, and with longer digital cable runs I have noted issues with SPDIF. 192k/24bit can get lost in the chain, usually after the first two units.
The RCA's used are really an inappropriate solution for achieving proper impedance matching on the high speed SPDIF interface - they should have used BNC. I tried canare/bomar-win crimped RCA's and it still does not work well.
The balanced AES/EBU digital interface works without issues. SPDIF is then used only between the FA amps (4x in my setup) for sync between the units (volume, preset and stand-by).
For analogue vs digital etc. I recommend to try out the oversampling filter settings in either your source (e.g. streamer) or the FA's. It is not only measureable. this might have bigger impact than A vs D.
I hoped it would be a negligible difference when changing this on an Aries G1, it wasn't.