2. amps-preamps
  3. 1377823658

Need Preamp Advice For Adding a Turntable

This is my first post on Audiogon, so please be gentle. Over the last several years I've been able to find the help that I've needed just searching through the forums, but now I could use advice specific to my system. I understand this is all subjective and everyone's hearing is different, I'm just hoping for a little shove in the right direction.

My system consists of:
Ayre K5xe mp Preamp
PS Audio PerfectWave DAC
PS Audio PerfectWave Transport
Theta Dreadnaught Amp
Vandersteen 5A Speakers

I'm pretty happy with the current sound, though, at times I've wondered if I could improve on it with a different preamp or possibly other tweaks. The Ayre is a great piece and I only mention changing it because it's been my experience that the preamp has the greatest affect on the sound. It's very easy to listen to, but I feel like something is missing. This may be due to previously having a tube preamp with class A mono blocks before having to move and go without a stereo for a couple of years. I've just recently finished piecing this system together so my ears haven't had a ton of time to adjust and I'm just happy to be able to play music again.

So now I'm hoping I can draw on other's experiences as to whether I should look into just adding a phono preamp to my current system, or go with a preamp with a built in phono stage or possibly replacing the Ayre K5xe mp with a separate line stage plus phono preamp that mate well together.

The type of sound that I enjoy is fairly neutral and transparent with a good amount of detail, a large soundstage with good separation and timbre with maybe a touch of bloom. Something musical and fairly accurate.

Features I'm looking for:
Solid State (have to integrate into HT, tubes a possibility)
Home Theater Pass Through
Fully Balanced
XLR and RCA inputs
Remote
Under $5K used

Preamp models I've read about, but have no experience:
Pass Labs XP-10 or XP-20
Parasound JC-2
Sim Moon
Aesthetix Calypso or Janus

Phono Preamps, also no experience with them:
Pass XP-15
Ayre P5xe
Aesthetix Rhea

I do enjoy what a nice tube preamp can add to a system, but am hoping to get as close as I can with a solid state preamp since it's going to be integrated with my HT and I don't want to burn up tubes watching movies and television. The phono preamp could be either tube or solid state. And my focus is on music and not HT even though I'm merging the two.

I appreciate any and all feedback on these models along with any other suggestions or advice that anyone may have to offer. And thank you for taking the time to read my post.
firsttoact
mbovaird
140 posts
 
Add just a phono preamp. Your preamp is great. The Zesto phono stage is great. The Manley Chinook too. If you want to go north of $10k - the ARC PHREF2SE is excellent.

My choice would be the Zesto Andros Phonostage. Just google it.
firsttoact OP
8 posts
 
Zd542,
How does running the Wadia directly into the amp compare to the Calypso? I have that option with the PS Audio DAC, but have not tried it. Before the PS Audio DAC, I had a Wyred4Sound DAC 2 with a digital volume control and preferred a preamp with that particular system. It sound fine as long as the volume was above 30 or so if I remember correctly. I'd have to figure out how to incorporate a phono stage though.

Richard Vandersteen mentioned that if I bi-amp the 5As that it's important that the amp modules driving each speaker share the same power transformer or else the crossovers, amps, or speakers could be damaged. Can't remember exactly which it is, but his warning had put it out of my mind at the time.
firsttoact OP
8 posts
 
Mbovaird,
Thanks for the advice and I will look into the Zesto. I see there's a couple listed here now.
firsttoact OP
8 posts
 
Cerrot,
I think I'm going to give the Ayre more time in my system and try to tune the sound. Charles Hansen has posted suggestions on another forum about possible tweaks that are fairly simple to do. Seems to be a well built unit and I've read that Ayre really stands behind there products with good support.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"How does running the Wadia directly into the amp compare to the Calypso? I have that option with the PS Audio DAC, but have not tried it. Before the PS Audio DAC, I had a Wyred4Sound DAC 2 with a digital volume control and preferred a preamp with that particular system. It sound fine as long as the volume was above 30 or so if I remember correctly. I'd have to figure out how to incorporate a phono stage though."

You just have to try it. Results can vary, its more of a personal preference. I get good sound either way but I like my system more with my preamp.

"Richard Vandersteen mentioned that if I bi-amp the 5As that it's important that the amp modules driving each speaker share the same power transformer or else the crossovers, amps, or speakers could be damaged. Can't remember exactly which it is, but his warning had put it out of my mind at the time."

Not so much damaged, but poor sound quality. That's why I do a vertical biamp. There's no need for you to worry with your Theta. You can only do a vertical biamp with it. Couldn't mess it up if you wanted to. I believe he goes over it in the owners manual.
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