McIntosh MC2300 Amp

[Brettl]

Using this as my pre - Emotive Erato tube

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Does the hiss remain when swapping pre's?

[MacGeek]

Tube electronics typically generate more noise and distortion than solid state, equipment quality being equal.  While probably normal, your tube pre may be the source of your hiss, or add to it.

[F1nut]

A slight hiss inches from the tweeter with tube gear is normal, it's called tube rush.

Spike those speakers!!!

[OldiesButGoodies]

A slight hiss inches from the tweeter with tube gear is normal, it's called tube rush.

Spike those speakers!!!

Agree,  this may be what you are hearing.  If you were using a more mainstream preamp I would suggest rolling the input tubes until you find a type that reduces hiss to a minimum (which often results in degraded overall sound than the tubes that had the hiss!),  but this Emotive pre - I am not even sure what the input tubes are,  they look special.  I say embrace the hiss.

OBG

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Or just wait a few years until you can't hear the hiss anyway.

[Brettl]

Thanks for the input. Here is the guys website that makes the preamp. He makes pretty highend stuff. The erato is one of his earlier units, I had him look over this unit a couple years ago  and I know it's working perfectly.  The tubes you have a Hiss  but so does the Mac. It's not terrible I just hate thinking that my gear could have an issue that could be corrected. 

http://www.emotiveaudio.com/index2.html

[Brettl]

Tung-sol 27 tubes