Private audiophile room

I think that you can blend what you want as long as the devices are good and neutral. The only issue is the speaker sensitivity with the amplification.

Low/ average efficient speakers need a bi amplification with tubes in the highs and solid state in the low to really work!

Very few people are pro-bi amp but it's the royal way!

The dynamic qualities of solid state in the low with the fantastic tube high!

    

Edited by oliverstoned - April 25 2006 at 06:02

    "I used to have tubes but I got out of it because of tube degradation and the expense of the tubes. I replaced a Sonic Frontiers tube pre-amp with a solid state Linn pre-amp and the Linn is miles better than the Sonic Frontiers tube gear. It's not even close"

Expensive? 450 dollars every 5 years is not that much.
"Sonic frontiers" indeed is not that good on amp preamp.
But i can quote you loads of tube amps which are far beyond your Linn!!


"Amplifier input impedance and pre-amp output impedance must be considered when pairing pre-amp/amps together."

As long as there's no noise problem, that's fine;
i think you allude to this kind of problems. There are painul indeed.

"
All one needs to do is look at and listen to Mark Levinson, or Classe to know that good solid state gear exists. Transister technology has come a long way and they don't degrade."

Levinson is miles better than Classe IMO.

What degradation?!
Even a slightly degraded good tube is miles better than ANY solid state in the highs. When the tube is worn, you replace and it's like new.
There are transistor amps more musical than others and closer to tubes, but if you have to have only one amp, it must be tube!! that's far better!

But in a bi amp set up a good transistor in the low is fantastic.

And concerning preamps, both technology are great, but the best preamp ever may be currently the solid state Levinson 32 reference.

And i will conclude by saying that a big system without tube and with digital source is a JOKE and a waste of money!
    
    

Edited by oliverstoned - April 25 2006 at 14:41