Subjects covered:
- Basics
- Power amp questions
- Tube questions
- Tube vs. solid-state
- Do I need a preamp?
- XLR vs. RCA
- Power cords
- Power supply
- Technical: Impedance, Capacitors
Basics
What is a Preamp?
The Official Version: A preamp, or a preamplifier, is a part of a chain of devices that produce a music signal and has several possible functions, which at least include the ability to “turn down the volume” of the music signal. This blog will focus on home stereo preamps, but there are other types as well, including microphone preamps used in recording studios and professional concert settings, and guitar and bass preamps.
The Easy Version: A preamp is basically a box that lets you control the volume of music, and *usually* lets you [more]
What to Look For in a Great Preamp
Here are the 5 most important things to look for as you select your next preamp:
1. Sound quality. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Magazine reviews by people you’ve never met are only going to help so much. To get a handle on [more]
What is a linestage?
A linestage is simply, a preamplifier that doesn’t have a phono section.
It takes a lot of circuitry to amplify a phono signal, before it ever gets to your preamplifier.
So if you look [more]
Tweaks to improve my overall sound?
What are some easy and low-cost ways to improve your sound? Here are some ideas we have had good luck with.
The following ideas are very general and very random. We hope they will be helpful. [more]
Power amp questions
Should I buy a tube power amp?
1. Advantages of Tube Power Amps
There are several advantages to tube power amps:
- Sound Quality Considerations [more]
Should I use a solid-state power amp with my tubed preamp?
We are often asked if it’s better to use a solid-state power amp with our preamps (which are tubed). The answer is no, it’s not necessarily better, but you might prefer using a solid-state power amp for any of several reasons.
This post will attempt to describe the benefits and drawbacks of using a solid-state power amp with a tubed [more]
Tube questions
How Long Will My Tubes Last?
Tube life is perhaps the number 1 thing that keeps music lovers away from buying a tube preamp or a tube power amp.
This answer will focus on preamp tubes only.
Preamp tubes are smaller than power amp tubes. A preamp tube is roughly the size of [more]
What are the best sounding 12au7 tubes being made today?
Let’s explore whether there are some currently-produced tubes that sound great, focusing on the 12au7 tube type (since that is what we use in our line stage preamps at Backert Labs). There are many tubes made today, primarily in [more]
What does NOS tube mean?
NOS tubes means tubes that are “new old stock”. This means that they were manufactured many years ago, and have [more]
Do I need to get NOS tubes if I buy a tube preamp?
Short Answer: No.
Some people hear so much about NOS tubes (meaning, new old stock — tubes that were made decades ago) that they wonder if it’s necessary to get into the whole NOS hobby when they buy a tube preamp.
The answer for Backert Labs customers is a definite [more]
Which NOS tubes are affordable and sound great?
We all want to get something for nothing… or at least, for very little. Is this possible, in the confusing world of NOS tubes?
We think so. There is one kind of NOS tube that we have found to be:
– reliable
– great sounding
– affordable, and
– long-lasting.
You might think we are trying to sell you something, but actually we only have a few pairs of these… [more]
What are the very best sounding NOS tubes? (12au7)
This is a dicey topic. As we have said, it’s like telling you which red wine you will enjoy the most tonight with dinner. How would we know?? We don’t, really. All we can do is share what has worked for us, and what we hear from others that we have been able to validate.
Here are some NOS 12au7 tubes (and “equivalents”) that we have found to sound especially good: [more]
Do NOS tubes sound better than current-production tubes?
Short Answer: NOS tubes means “new old stock” — made years ago, but never used. And yes, some NOS tubes sound better than many of the tubes being made today. However, there are many things you need to know before you just start buying NOS tubes. For example, [more]
How to know when tubes are going bad and need to be replaced
Since the tubes in a preamp can last a very long time, how will you know when it’s time to replace your tubes?
As we explain [here], the tubes that we provide in Backert Labs preamps may never need to be replaced, because our circuit design runs them very gently.
However, you might decide to try a pair of older, used tubes that are closer to the end of their lives… so how will you know when they are truly in need of replacement?
The signs that the tube going to one of your speakers needs replacing are usually quite obvious: [more]
What does it mean if a preamp is “hard on the tubes”?
As a company that makes only tube preamps, we spend a lot of time answering questions about tube life.
You may have heard that certain preamps are hard on the tubes. Today’s question is… what does that mean? [more]
Tube vs. solid-state
Is a Tube Preamp Better than Solid State?
We will now weigh in on the long-standing question of which sounds better, tubes or solid-state?
These different technologies for amplifying a signal have certain “stereotype” sounds:
- Tubes are thought to be warm and smooth, and able to present a certain kind of holographic “magic” (on the good side) but [more]
Do I need a preamp?
Do I Need a Preamp If I Only Have One Music Source?
As we mentioned below, one of the main functions of a preamp is to allow you to select which music source (CD player, streamer, turntable, etc.) is sent to the power amplifier and your speakers. So, what if you only have one source, for example, just a [more]
Why Buy a Preamp? Can I just use the volume control on my DAC, laptop, or Roon?
Audiophiles these days often “skip the preamp” and just connect their DAC directly to their power amp. This might seem like a good idea, but there are 5 reasons to buy a dedicated preamp for your home stereo system: [more]
XLR vs. RCA
Is balanced / XLR better than RCA / single-ended?
Today we address the question that pops up when it’s time to buy interconnect cables: which is better, XLR, or RCA?
The Surprising Answer: [more]
Power cord questions
How to buy a Power Cord for your Preamp or Amp
Power cords are a touchy subject. We realize that this post will probably make us *zero* friends, and may actually generate some noise-vibration-and-harshness for us.
However, we have committed to treat everybody out there as a best friend who wants to know how to get the best sound. So all we can do is share what we have found to be true.
First, if you are a music lover who [more]
Power Supply
Why is the power supply so important to the quality of a preamp?
Power supplies are more critical than you might think. We might blow your mind a little here… maybe you should sit down. Here goes:
A power supply in a stereo preamp (or amplifier) doesn’t just provide energy to let the amplifier function. The power supply IS the music that you hear.
Wait… what? [more]
Technical: Impedance, Capacitors
How To Get Impedance Right When Buying a Preamp
First, we want to let you know that you don’t need to worry about impedance questions if you choose a Backert Labs preamp.
We aren’t going to bore you with a discussion of “What is impedance?” This article is meant to give you the rule you need, and that’s all.
The Rule [more]
Should I re-cap my tube preamp?
The short answer: recapping often makes sense with other preamp brands as the unit grows older. But you’ll never need to worry about it with a Backert Labs preamp.
What is recapping? Recap means, “put new capacitors into the power supply.” Why do people talk about this? [more]
