2. amps-preamps
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Help - Need Preamp under 5K for Class D amps

I’ve been looking at preamps for some time now and now that I’ve finally taken delivery of some audiophile quality speakers it time to find this device.
My current setup is as follows:

Line Arrays in the form of AV123 LS-6’s driven by a pair of Nuforce 9 SEV2’s. No pre in the signal path. Source is a Slim devices Transporter. All files EAC ripped FLAC lossless compression.
AC services:
VH-Audio power cords service the Nuforce’s in Flavor 4 version as well as the Power conditioner. Dedicated circuit utilizing a Furutech outlet and Furutech silver IEC connectors, Furutech gold plugs on the opposite end on power cords except on the Transporter end where I use a Oyaide 079.

Adona Rack and a considerable amount of room treatments.

So what I hear while sitting on the couch is a pretty resolving system with pinpoint imaging, a decent amount of bloom, dynamics galore and a generally pleasing sound except… I’m not quite where I want to be in terms of just being able to relax into the music. I’d like a bit more air, or bloom or warmth? Sorry I don’t have the right description but perhaps the fact that I have NO pre is the problem in general. Overall sound seems to be a bit clinical. Maybe that’s the word.

This is why I ask the help of my audiophile brothers and sisters here. Running my MAC RCA Palladiums’ doesn’t improve this much over the balanced cables I own which are DH-Labs DIYers. Having a home theatre system in tow that utilizes the Nuforce’s as well I find myself constantly moving interconnect cables which is annoying at best.

I’ve been looking at Dan’s Modwright 36.5 and auditioned one from a fellow Audiogon seller. I couldn’t get a handle on it’s attributes from that audition – too different a system not to mention that I didn’t like what I was hearing from his setup. Others pre’s I’ve been interested in are as follows:

Parasound Halo JC-2 – No tubes but does that really matter?
Aesthetix Calypso
Audio Horizons 2.1
Modwright 36.5
Other?

Thanks for your advice.
128x128desalvo55
hotbird
61 posts
 
The problem with small companies that's kind of run like a one-man show is that you do not have support reliability.
Just check out their bad publicity on head-fi forum
A complain
I rather spend more money with established companies, who cares foreign, contacting them is just an email away with the advent of internet.
As far as Audiovalve goes, they have existed for a long period and the Eklipse is a very mature design which was reviewed by Art Shapiro in the very 1st issue of Positive Feedback way back in 2002
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue1/eklipse.htm
Not only that, Audiovalve claims that the Eklipse is supposed to be the culmination of 15 years of preamp design
http://www.audiovalve.de/eklipse/eklipsee.html
So I guess in 2008, the current Audiovalve Eklipse is a 20-year old mature design ;-)
And as far as german products go, this is supposed to be a steal. Check the price way back in 2002 and now, just attribute the price increase partly to US$ decline and you will know the quality/price factor is very high.
hotbird
61 posts
 
Since you are using the Nuforce P9 already, moving to JR Capri is most probably a lateral move, high quality solid state pre-amp to another solid state preamp. You may be better off keeping the Nuforce P9 which ia already among the best SS preamp for the money, and I would to place my money on P9 if you do ever manage to compare it to a Capri ;-)
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I'm beginning to wonder if Hotbird has a vested interest in Audiovalve that should be disclosed in the threads.
hotbird
61 posts
 
I own the P9 Nuforce pre-amp, and do not currently own any Audiovalve equipment. But it may be the next pre-amp that I may upgrade to after perusal of Teajay's review whom I respect. And may I ask if the rest have vested interests in TRL, as I read on the head-fi forum that they have an odd following
hotbird
61 posts
 
Forgot to add, I do not know Teajay personally, but stay probably a million miles away on the opposite side of the world and other than correspondence on his threads, I have no vested interest in Teajay ;-)
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