Preamp Deal of the Century

Steve, I appreciate your input and apologize for my "passion" (as Asa put it). I should not have directed it at you per se'... Perhaps it's because I know you are close to Mick and the explanation you are giving seems to deeply contrast that which Mick himself posted.

Mick's post clearly indicated a revolutionary improvement to the design and your post seems to indicate that this is nothing more than solving a compatibility issue.

Mick's post started by saying this was bad news for existing customers and you seem to indicate it is not.

So my question to you is, who do we believe? Should we believe Mick, or should we believe you? I'd like to know.

Sure, I could email Mick myself and get an explanation but because he made the decision to use the forum to make a "bad news to present owners" product announcement, he should use this forum to clear up the confusion created by that announcement.

I am sure there are more people interested than just me.

Hi Brian...no need to apologise, I didn't take any real offence to what you said ( "like water off a duck's back" as we Aussies like to say).

I am not the PR arm of Supratek, but I do know Mick well and underneath it all he's always well meaning. I wouldn't read too much into his use of the words 'bad news'. Again, it's just a figure of speech and that's how the man expresses himself, it's his way of bringing a bit of comaraderie into the conversation and I don't think he saw any harm in it.

As to whether what he's saying and what I'm saying is the correct picture, I think it's a bit of both, but you have to read and interpret more what he's said than what I've said, as it's only my angle on it. If I were you, don't play a word game on the net - it'll get too complicated, just talk to him about the whole thing and he will explain it better than I can.

My point with the whole issue is that the Supratek pre's are so far ahead of most - that you've already got something very special on your hands, so be happy! I'm sure even Michaelangelo improved on his paintings as time went on, so why can't Mick with the Cortese/Grange.

Regards,

Steve M.

Steve - cool. Great reply. Thank you very much. I am no stranger to Mick's new product announcements... I had a Chardonnay in my hands for 2 weeks, comparing it to $10,000 preamps and thinking it was the best under 10K... when the Cortese arrived and made the Chardonnay the best under 5K... :) Then, when I finally saved up enough cash to buy a Cortese, Mick introduced the Grange.

The good thing is that Mick has done a great job of providing me with something to look forward to - I guess.

I think you've done a good job of smoothing over the rough edges of this announcement. Perhaps there will not be a ripple of confused perception surrounding (and damaging) the reputation of existing Cortese and Grange preamps.

Bwhite, get off the merry-go-round, fast, please, escape, ESCAPE!!!! :0)

But its a real problem, everytime ya think your at the top of the heap they pull you back into the mix with something better.

btw Bwhite, I am not concerned about the value of my Syrah falling, that isn't the reason I bought it in the first place. Furthermore, if something comes along that bests it by a substantial margin at a similar price, I would consider it a breakthrough and would chalk it up to REAL progress. And if your Cortese is that much better than the Syrah, I'm sure there would be interested potential buyers, myself included. If it is just a matter of improvement in the noise floor at the high gain setting, I just so happen to own an amp where this would be a non issue.

Nice post Steve. My objection to Mick's comments was strictly based on the good news, bad news without mention of recourse to the bad news as was Bwhite's it seems.