Preamp Deal of the Century

Ikkyu2:

the labelling on your 6106 is correct. i believe the main difference between the 5AR4 and 5Y3GT (6106) is that the 6106 has a longer rise time than the 5AR4. the 6106 rises considerably slower than the 5AR4 as i'm sure you've noticed. for all intents and purposes though, the 6106 is interchangeable with the 5AR4 in the supratek circuit. check this thread for more discussion about the 6106 in suprateks:

Supratek Tubes and Tube Swappin' for Everybody

My used Chenin arrived yesterday and after settling in, it sounds really great, really more like musical instruments and less like electronics than any other preamp I have heard. Ah, those timbres! And those flowing dynamics, more like the real thing than the razor-edged, "I-am-your-amp-here-I-am" dynamics you find elsewhere... I would like to stress that Mick Maloney is a class act. This guy has provided and keeps providing extraordinary service and help with a few issues (tubes) I have. And mind you, I bought my Chenin used and not directly from him. I really wish the high-end industry was full of persons like Mick Maloney. Then our fine hobby would be more widespread, I dare to believe. Now I understand the cult following that Supratek enjoys.
Best,
frankiealverti

I'm thinking very seriously about ordering the Chardonnay but I have a few questions. From my reading of the first couple of pages of this thread, it seemed that the theater bypass was problematic and caused some troubles? Has this problem been solved with the newer preamp? What is the cost of the theater bypass option? Also, what is the procedure if there is a problem and the unit needs service? Is there a place in the US that does repairs?
On another note, how does the phono preamp in the Chenin compare to a Wright phono preamp? i have the wright and am very fond of it. has anyone compared the two?
Thanks

Me,me,me!

how does the phono preamp in the Chenin compare to a Wright phono preamp? i have the wright and am very fond of it. has anyone compared the two?

I had the Wright WPP100C (see my sytem pics). It was "tubed" with Mullard 6ER5 and Telefunken 12AU7 and/or RCA 6ER5 and RCA 5814 Black plates when I was using them. It is a good phono preamp but it was noisy when the pots were about 1/2 position of the total gain. I have tried many tube combos on the 12AU and 6ER5 positions but the one I posted above was the combo or combos plus a Tungsol 6X4 where tube rush was at minimum. Nevertheless, it is a good preamp whose performance is above its price point IMHO.

Compared to the Chenin phono section, my Wright phono pre was clearly inferior in terms of dynamics, quietness, and focus. Eliminating another set of IC's and SUT's maybe contributed to the outcome but the circuit design and the sound of the phono section of the Chenin, after two year ownership and counting, is always very good to my ears. There's one caveat, however, that is you can only use an MC cart with output not higher than 2.5 mV.

Who cares right? For the life of me, I have never owned an MC cart with an output higher than 0.8 mV! I tried a Denon (0.25 mV)with a 1:18 transformer to the input of the Chenin's phono (that is 4.5 mV output!) and it works. I cannot detect any "overload" symptoms but my experiment only lasted few LP tracks. It is better to be safe than sorry!

With regards to loading, my pre comes with four settings through a slider switch (47k, 1k, 100, 10). But this is not a problem because you can always use a tee to change the load for different values not readily available from the switch settings.

BTW, if you check my sytem pics, there are two other phono preamps I have currently (one will be gone in a few weeks cause my friend is buying it from me). I am using the Chenin and I am convince that it is better. It is my "heavy hitter" per se!

cheers

artemus:

the ht bypass issue has long since been corrected. my chardonnay has the ht bypass and it works flawlessly. i can't remember the exact amount i paid extra, but you can email mick directly and he'll tell you. i don't think it was more than $200 extra if that much.

on the supratek site, mick addresses the issue of what happens if the supratek needs servicing. he states:

It shouldn't but if it does getting it sorted takes priority - the best way is to get it fixed in your home state- while Supratek products are unique they aren't complex and any good technician should be able to solve any problems. With email I can send circuit diagrams and discuss any problems with the technician. The robustness of all Supratek products means that any problems will be minor. I am setting up a circle of good technicians around the globe as I'm able. Naturally I pay for any repairs.

as far as the phono section is concerned, i can't speak to that as i don't use vinyl. from what everybody has said, the phono section of the supratek is first-class.