Solid state preamp grain compared to valves

[Marco]

I suppose if you had a poor valve amp and a poor solid state amp then you could tell the difference because they would doing different things badly. But once you move into the real quality stuff, forget it.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

One of the best preamps I have ever owned was by World Audio Design and was their KLP1. I guess in reality it was a passive design that used its 6922 valves simply for driving the interconnects. Its sound was just so fluid and clear with that classic liquid purity. Bloody lovely gadget.

[hifinutt]

that grandinote proemio SS pre that is in BD audio closing sale is pretty good , shame no distributor for the brand now . heaven knows where it summons the bass from , had it in my system for a few weeks while my valve pre was off for repair

[User211]

Quite a few valve preamps display fluidity only when they have been on for a good long time.

Some can get annoyingly overly fluid when they've been on for, say, 4 hours plus.

Their character most definitely changes as the hours go by...

[YNWaN]

When I changed all the internal cards in my pre-amp for those by Ryan Sound Labs (though the make isn’t relevant as such) the reduction in grain was the single biggest improvement - in fact it quite transformed the sound.

[chris@panteg]

I really liked the Concordant range of valve preamps, used an Excelsior for 15 years, marvellous pre.

[anubisgrau]

a number of DIY efforts based of JFETs will bring you closer to natural, grainless sound. it doesn't have to cost a lot. even the original audio note had such designs (there is a version of M7).

[Haselsh1]

Quite a few valve preamps display fluidity only when they have been on for a good long time.

Some can get annoyingly overly fluid when they've been on for, say, 4 hours plus.

Their character most definitely changes as the hours go by...

Time is definitely a factor in my current pre/power setup. This combo doesn't really sound at its best until after maybe an hour or so and it definitely sounds best in ultralinear mode.

[Jimbo]

Quite a few valve preamps display fluidity only when they have been on for a good long time.

Some can get annoyingly overly fluid when they've been on for, say, 4 hours plus.

Their character most definitely changes as the hours go by...

I agree, mine sounds better the longer it's left on and it is usually at its best just before I switch it off and go to bed. But I must factor in the noise floor which is also very apparent in my system especially late at night.

When the two meet, low noise floor and valve optimal operating temperature, I drift on the wavy acoustic dreamland of audio nirvana.

I really should stop drinking that stuff!

[hifinutt]

for any newbies , a definition of what grain is would be good