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I recently purchased this pre to be used with a YBA 2 HCDT amp. I have one major complaint about the pre, and that it is squashing dynamics. I have been told this is just the tube sound and tubes can't do dynamics like a solid state setup. My stereo shop suggested I roll tubes and maybe do some mods to the pre, but I'm concerned it may not be much of a difference. I like quick snappy dynamics where you can feel the kick of a drum on the speakers. The YBA amp is capable to do this, so its my pre messing with the sound. Any comments or should I just sell this unit and stick with solid state?
Follow Ups:
If your SFL-2 Preamp is constraining dynamics, there is something wrong with it.
I would eMail Chris Johnson @ Parts Connexion (President of Parts Connexion and former principal of Sonic Frontiers International) and ask him what he feels is going on.
www.partsconnexion.com
.
I agree with re-tubing. Tubes are wear items, and over time they'll lose detail, dynamics, and just start to sound crumby. Whenever I buy used tubed equipment, I assume I'll have to re-tube.
I have a Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 Sig. phono stage, and it has terrific dynamics. Try some fresh tubes, and see how it goes.
I use a Conrad Johnson PV 10A preamp into a Conrad Johnson MV 55 amplifier and the sound dynamics through my Soliloquy speakers is wonderful, crisp clear highs (you can hear the brushes on drums and cymbals and the triangle) as well as clean and clear bass. So, I'm with the others here. Assuming that this is used equipment, have your preamp gone over by a good tech as a first start.
Sim
I have a dealer here in town that sells new Rogue equipment. Would that qualify for what I'm after. I'd still like to hear Alan's response on this one.
I have used preamp power amp configurations for years. Both tube/tube, SS/SS, SS/tube and tube/SS. I could never get it right. Finally I gave up and got an all tube Jolida integrated and am very happy with it. It is very dynamic with my vintage Snell type "J" speakers....
I trul;y and firmly believe that the sound stage we hear with our gear is best achieved by using a tube out put. Your Jolida appears to confirm this, but I am not sure why your tube/tube system didn't give you a fabulous 3D sound picture. The SS out put in most hybrid amps I think squashes the imaging flat. So try to get a tube out put section if you want space between the musical elements.
This same tube magic also plays an important role in the sound dynamics. So once again try to get a tube out put to give you the best dynamics, yes IMHO.
That BTW is what the modern tube magic is. It is not making the sound slow and syrupy and rolling off the top end
Got my second SFL-2 preamp. Dynamics are definitely better with the second unit, though soundstaging still didn't quite make it compared to what I heard from a solid state Rotel I used before this. With the Rotel, music escaped the speakers and filled the room. The music didn't sound like it was just coming from the speakers only. The SFL-2 couldn't escape the speakers. Sounded good, but in comparison I couldn't say it was better then solid state. I am getting a YBA 2 preamp soon, so hopefully I can make some comparisons between the SFL-2 and YBA to see which one is more musical.
Well I gave up on the preamp and sold it. Took the funds and bought an upgraded SFL-2 with better tubes with only 100 hours on them. The seller claims that his pre has great dynamics, so I'm counting on second times a charm. I should get that pre sometime next month. If it still doesn't give me those snappy dynamics I'm after, I'm going to get a YBA preamp.
How recently is recently? Is it possible you've not fully got acquainted with it relative to the sound produced by its predecessor? I just finished skimming Kal Rubinson's S'phile review of the SFL2 and he describes something different with respect to its ability to reproduce dynamics. A re-tube might help this too. Stick with it a while longer. This was a very well thought of pre in its day.
Do you know the input impedance of the amplifier? Is it possible the SFL-2 is working into a lower impedance load than intended? If this is all OK, it might be the SFL-2 pre needs service. Have you had basic functionality verified (output level, gain, distortion, frequency response)?
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
I think what everyone is saying in their own way....YOU PAYS YER mon-ey and you takes yer choice.
Some things work together and others don't integrate or clash. There are many things to consider, which I'm sure you did when deciding that preamp was the one. Homework and research can give an educated guess. Tweaking and modifying can fine tune. At the end of the day it all has to work together.
Not the answer you want but it is part of the journey.
BTW... I have three main systems, one all tube, one a tube front end with a hybrid SS amp the third a SS front end because of the phono preamp with a tube amp. All exhibit very good dynamics but are distinct, they don't mix and match perfectly. It was some trial and error.
Edits: 12/24/15
Try another source input. I had a highly acclaimed FM tuner that I was using to the bitter end. Turned out it WAS the tuner squashing the sound.
Otherwise all the other postings are pretty much on the money.
No problems with the source inputs all work well for their intended functions.
There was a time when you routinely bought a big amplifier with global feedback - solid state or pentodes/tetrodes - and drove it with a preamp containing between 4 and 8 small tubes. I regard that time as historical, though the habit persists.Then, quite a few years ago now, audiophiles started to realise that the less stages you put in the way of the signal and the more you used triodes with zero global feedback the clearer and more dynamic the sound became. Together with this came a preference for Directly Heated Triodes (DHTs) which sounded even more dynamic and transparent. And when stages were cut down to the minimum and low gain DHTs were routinely used, speakers got more efficient and we started seeing horns and full-range units. This became the new high-end standard, unless you wanted to fill a large room with sound or drive very inefficient speakers.
Adding amplification stages will not make the sound better (far from it) unless they improve the interface with the main amplifier and drive it better, e.g. using a lower output impedence. Otherwise "the worlds greatest preamp" is no preamp. A preamp also acts as a switching unit, but how many inputs do you need to switch? All these questions need to be answered before you start putting extra stages between the signal and the amplifier.
In my own case I haven't used a preamp for years. All my inputs are digital and I do all the switching and volume control in my Mac Mini. This goes via a high-end DAC to my 2 stage all DHT amplifier into my full-range speaker units. That's as minimal as you can get and I'm rewarded with the most dynamic and transparent sound I've ever had from an audio setup.
Alternatives to a preamp are digital switching and volume control as above, or a passive preamp with switching and a transformer volume control. How much do you actually need a preamp with extra gain stages?
Edits: 12/24/15
Tube pre amps are typically very dynamic. Your preamp sounds like it is broken / defective.
My all tube system is as dynamic if not more so than any ss system I have ever heard.
Alan
Alan,
What tube preamp do you suggest I try that gives excellent dynamics?
Its okay. I just saw your response above. What other tube pres would I be happy with?
What are you listening to?
Shindo Auriges preamp
Alan
A buddy of mine had a SF phono pre. I got to hear it in my system and it sounded kind of bad and boring. Replacing the JAN 6922s with Russian 6N23s helped, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. BTW, not all tube gear crushes dynamics. Mine doesn't.
"It is better to remain silent and thought a fool, then speak and remove all doubt." A. Lincoln
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