Good one Rick,
Sounds like a good plan, anyway, listen to all you can first.
You might consider the XMC-1 if you think you might go the pre-pro direction.
I think a pre-pro is the best way to go. But please listen to that Conrad Johnson ET3 IF
you get a chance. I almost bought it, but decided a pre-amp with home theater bypass was
more difficult/expensive than I wanted, that a good pre-pro with great room correction was the way to go
for me.
Just thinking out loud with ya.
God Bless,
Wayne

Hey Rick

Do you listen to any 2-channel at all? If not, I wouldn't waste my time with tubes. If you're listening to three or five channels, every channel would need to run tubes to get the full benefit. Decware does sell a preamp that would fill those needs, but for you, I think only more upper end separates would up the auntie on the sound you are looking for, and then expect only a Very, Very, modest increase in sound quality. Like you said, at least for now, be happy with what you have...you have some great stuff.

The person on this forum who would benefit the most from tubes would be T Cobe...he is a 2-Channel man. I believe he would love the sound of tubes and what they could do for his music.

Thanks, Anthem!

Great feedback. You're right that I listen mostly to multi channel music.

Patience, Rick, Patience. I'm streaming music now and loving it. Isn't this hobby fun?!!

Happy listening!

Rick

Well the front 3 channels with tube/hybrid sound can be awesome in a home theater!!!
I almost never listen to two channel unless by headphones. But my surround is SWEET!!!
Again, listen to lotgs of gear.
God Bless, Wayne

Wayne

What amp are using for your center? I forgot.

The following is all my opinion only.

I'm not opposed to tubes but just recognize what they are. They add distortion to the signal chain. Pleasing, euphonic distortion, but distortion. And they present some other challenges. I personally think tube pre-amps with solid state amps are a better pairing than vice versa for the reasons that Wayne went into. Having 3 watt amps is going to impose some limitations.

I also think a stereo pre-amp will still sound significantly better than even a pre/pro. The reality is, the pre/pro will still be manufactured with the same techniques as an AVR. The components will be better and the design will include fewer compromises since they don't have to cram in N channels of amplification. But it will be a lot of off the shelf chips and printed circuit boards. A good stereo pre-amp is much more likely to use even better components, better channel separation and may even use discrete components with point to point wiring, instead of PCBs. Sure an Anthem or Emotiva pre/pro will sound better than an Onkyo AVR for stereo music, but a Premaluna Prologue or Classe, or McIntosh will sound better. Part of that may be cost I guess. If you divide out $ per channel, a $3000 pre/pro does a lot more and supports 7 or more channels vs. a $2500 stereo preamp. But, guess where the money goes.

In general if you're looking to make improvements I always rate components in the following order (give or take) unless you have a clear weak link:

Speakers
Room treatments
Source
Preamp
Amp

But ultimately you strive for balance. Try to find values like GEt in other component types but don't cheap out. Why run Triton Ones off a $800 AVR? (That is what I'm currently doing so I think I can speak with some authority that it is not ideal for maximizing your system).