Elite Preamps--Electon Images, Messenger, Tube Res

How much money are you willing to spend?

I ask because there are some stunning offerings from more well know companies that have excellent customer service.

I am familiar with Tube Research, although not the current version and have owned Sonic Frontiers (assuming your correct about Electrons design background).

Line stage only? Single ended, balanced, or both?

I heard the Messenger briefly at last year's CES, briefly because I didn't care for the sound of the system overall. I've heard some of the TRL gear from time to time.

Do you plan to keep the rest of your system as is? It seems to me you should be trying to keep a balance of your system, unless you are going to be replacing other things.

Brian Walsh

Thanks Albert & Brian for your responses.
Albert - "stunning offerings from well known companies with excellent customer service" are all buying criteria for me so that buyer risk is reduced and when it comes time to sell the piece it can be done so without too much hastle. Budget is around $5K, preferably used gear. What brands/models did you have in mind?

Brian - I need a line stage only and with short cable runs expect that single-ended will suffice. With regards to my system, just bought the VTL ST-150 amp and will buy now a tube preamp to replace a very old Sherwood receiver (gasp!) and will replace my KEF Ref Series 104/2 speakers with MartinLogan Aeion i's I expect. Do you think this will be in keeping a balance of my system?

Thanks for your feedback.

Regards,
Kevin

Kevin. First choice is Aesthetix, particularly the new Calypso at $4500.00 retail. It offers (perhaps) 75% the performance of the Callisto in a smaller package and includes the ability to run single ended or balanced with remote control.

I also see an Audio Research Ref 2 (not MK2) here at Audiogon in the used ads. I like this earlier version because you can swap tubes. The later (MK2) version is limited to the 6H30 Russian Mil tube. Both these are good units and run balance and single ended, both are less than 5K and offer good reliability and customer service.

I have not heard the Tube Research Labs preamp in many years, but I have had extensive listening sessions with both the Aesthetix Callisto and the Messenger preamp. In my very strong opinion, the Messenger is by far the finest preamp being made today. As good as the Callisto is, the Messenger makes it sound very tired and small. The Messenger has the biggest soundstage of any preamp that I have ever heard and the tonality is right on. It is extraodinarily dynamic and fast but retains a harmonic retrival and richness that no other premap that I have heard can match.

If you have any way to listen to a Messenger, I would definitely go out of my way to do so. Good luck.

Nicky