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Is this one of the 'characteristics' of tube designs or is it the preamp I'm using?
Yes, it's a characteristic of tube amplification. It's normal (assuming you don't have a dirty volume pot which aggrevates it)... transistors have it too, in the way of thermal noise, it's just usually much less audible. You can try all sorts of things to minimize it... swapping preamp tubes would be the first.
The benefit of tube ampification in the home is being able to tinker and get the sound you want... the drawback is you have to tinker to get the sound you want... then you have to stay on top of it, as tubes degrade, they sound different.
Kind of reminds me of another hobby.
Bren R.
Edit: (oops, Alan got to it before me)
Last edited by BrenR; 12/20/06 07:20 PM.
