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ontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> I use a SAE 2900 pre with an Ortofon MCA76 doing the MC step up for an Ortofon MC20 cartridge. Old, but I consider it a fairly clean sound and I like a clean sound.
SS is generally cleaner, but overdriven SS gives you a cut off square wave as it distorts, a harsh distortion sound. Tubes give you a different type of distortion, more of a resonance of the original wave. That's what makes the warm tube sound most consider more pleasing to the ear, although it is just distortion of another type and generally more of it.
To my ear, tubes that will make a guitar sound warm and distort sweet will make a stereo sound dated, but don't go by me. Some people pay big to get that 'tube' sound.
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