Jazzdude and Tubegroover,
It's been several days since anyone has posted to this thread; the silence is a bit eerie for some unexplained reason. Perhaps the comradery and enthusiasm I have read thus far has given me an expectation that it will continue indefinitely.
I have now finished reading some 254 posts belonging to this thread. I must say I am learning a great deal, not only about Supratek preamps, but about audio in general. Moreover, I am learning about the manner in which very experienced listeners and audiophiles approach the subject of reproduced sound in the home. It's almost as if this thread is like a graduate-level course in audioharmonics -- the pursuit of absolute sonic beauty without resorting to paying tens of thousands to get it.
I am still attempting to get a "handle" on the sound of the Supratek preamp line. In addition to my previous remarks, and having the benefit of reading the comments in this thread and elsewhere, I would also like to add a few more descriptive terms, if I might, albeit from a purely theoretical level, for I have not heard the Supratek nor will I have an opportunity before I buy the Cortese.
I feel what may further differentiate the Supratek line of preamps from the First Sound Presence Deluxe, a fine preamp in its own right and worthy of the Reviewer's Choice Award bestowed upon it by Todd Warnke of SoundStage!, is soul and harmonic layering. The First Sound strikes me as being a little more stark in its portrayal of music with slightly less harmonic stratification and nuance than the Supratek. It seems as if the aim of the First Sound is to provide life-like purity, power, dynamism, and clarity while retaining much of its passive gain-stage heritage. The Supratek does not strive for passivity, the straight-wire-with-gain philosophy. Rather it conveys clarity and detail but never at the expense of subtle richness, musical rightness, and harmonic soul. Thus, the Supratek might be heard as being the more musical of the two without the burden of euphonic sweetening that is often attributed to Conrad-Johnson gear. The Supratek speaks of a sparkling purity with a trace of inherent beauty without the slight "clinicalness" produced by the First Sound. The Supratek communicates with a slightly more enveloping and suave nature while embodying the soul of its designer. In contrast the First Sound impresses the listener with solidity and an unvarnished view of reality, albeit slightly thermionic. The Supratek is no less accomplished in presenting musical truth, but does so with greater sophistication and less austerity.
I don't want to make too much of these perceived differences. Like I said I have not heard the Supratek, which may invalidate my point of view. Because I am left with no review sample to audition, I draw my conclusions based upon vicarious experiences. I hope that my careful reading and intuition have served me well in this regard.
In my next posting I will be asking about where one can buy replacement tubes for the Cortese and about what NOS tubes are preferred, and why.
Cheers