Preamp Deal of the Century

Mercedes: I have a Grange and have tried EH-300B; RCA 45; and TJ-300B meshplates. A friend has a Cabernet and has tried the PX4's. We both agree that the TJ-300B sounds best by a big margin! The most significant lift with the TJ is the treble response which becomes sugary sweet and extended. The TJ also sounds much more refined than the EH tube which sounds crude in comparison.

Mick has some Western Electric 300B's, so you should ask him via email if it is significantly better than the TJ meshplates ...

Regards,

Steve M.

Just received an e-mail from Mick on the Malbec amps. It seems there are going to be two versions of the amp. One is a low power 30wpc version that Mick says will have a sweet sound to it. He says this amp will work fine for most people. This amp will be capable of using various output tubes. The other version is a more high power 100wpc amp. This version will only take KT-88 tubes. Interesting!

Stevem 1960: thanks for the response...your experience sounds like mine...I did some tube rolling, and sent email to Kevin Covi outlining my results. Here is copy of text sent to him:

"Tried RCA 45's: bigger, rounder, fuller...less focused than PX4's.
Tried Cunningham 45's: but had problem with right channel tube making really weird noises...this must have been my problem before, when I had the Korneff 45 mono amps in the system.
Tried Electro Harmonix 300b: nice. good bass, detail, vocals, better dynamics than PX4 or 45's.
Swapped TJ mesh plates from Welborne 300b's into Grange, and ran EH 300b's in Welborne monos: best yet...best vocals, detail, soundstaging, bass, dynamics etc. May have to pick up another pair at $279 pair new....
Don't know if I will swing the WE300b's...sure would like to try though..."
Based on the above, I went ahead and ordered another pair of TJ premium mesh plates...life is good...

After having recieved my Supratek 2 years ago; today I recieved a certified letter from the New Jersey Department of Taxation demanding that I pay the state 150.00 "use tax" plus 19.00 in penalties and interest for failure to pay sales tax on a product purchased abroad for use in NJ, after having been handed the customs declarations after the feds took their cut.

Consider this your heads up if you live in NJ and have purchased a Supratek or any other product for that matter, Gov. Corzine is watching and wants to balance the state budget on your back.

Can other states be far behind?

check out the 6moons mini-review of the new dual cabernet:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/supratek3/dualcabernet.html

looks like mick went back to the 6SN7 & tj 101d combo for the dual model. it's a pretty interesting read. i can't wait til the full review is out.