2. amps-preamps
  3. 1209044329

Help with finding ultra-transparent pre-amp

I got a new player, Wadia 581i SE, and once I hooked it up directly to amps I realized that my pre-amp is not transparent enough.
To make a long story short, I would like to find a very transparent pre-amp to be inserted between player and amps (no coloration, no shift in tonality, and no loss in dynamics, micro or macro), that would result in a sound indistinguishable from the sound of my player going directly to amps.
Essentially I want a wire with attenuation control. Balanced connectivity is preferred.
I tried a transformers based passive pre-amp (it was a custom, very well executed job), result was not good, not only that it killed dynamics and resulted in a dull and uninteresting sound, but transparency was in fact worse in comparison with my present pre-amp.
Is there such a transparent pre-amp, or it is just a pipe dream?
The cost is of course to be considered, I would not go for anything that is more than let’s say 3.5K, new or used.
I have been reading about Placette (resistor based), has anyone had any experience using it in a system that has very resolving front end?
The rest of my system:
Bryston BP26 pre-amp
Bryston 7B SST amps
PMC IB2 speakers
sashav

Showing 5 responses by tvad

tvad
9,467 posts
 
A couple of options:

Atma-Sphere MP1
ARC Ref 3
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Sorry, I missed the price point.

Lamm LL2 Deluxe is not balanced. It sounds great, but I wouldn't call it ultra transparent.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
A used Atma-Sphere MP-3 is in the price range, and is differentially balanced.

My MP-1 is very transparent, and I believe the MP-3 has a similar house sound.

The Audio Horizons preamp is another possibility, and it's available with an in-home trial.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
04-25-08: Jagdynamics
I disagree with Tvad..............the Lamm LL2 Deluxe is one of the best preamp when using 1950's black sable mullard tubes and all the Vishay caps are replace with Vcaps TFTF/OIMP and Mundorf silver/gold caps.

I did not say it wasn't a great preamp. I owned one. I know how excellent it was in my system.

However, I stand by the statement that it is not as transparent (neutral) as many other preamps (although it's also not rolled off, bloated or lacking extension). It's what made mine so musical. I used mine with Mullard Blackburn 12AU7, 6922 and 6X4 tubes from the late 50s and early 60s.

Also, I was speaking about a stock Lamm LL2 Deluxe preamp, as this is what 99% of buyers would be purchasing.
tvad
9,467 posts
 

04-25-08: Jagdynamics
Tvad, sorry you took this personal, I am only telling Sashav that the Lamm LL2 Deluxe can be a good choice and not to rule it out because of one negative thread. If you don't like what I have said, then take a hike and leave your thoughts out of this forum.
Offering an alternate point of view is not an indication of taking something personally, unlike lashing out at someone for expressing it.

In fact, it seems we agree about the LL2 Deluxe's transparency/neutrality. In November you wrote:
11-30-07: Jagdynamics
I replace my accuphase c-2800 preamp with a lamm LL2 deluxe and the lamm lack in detail with high's/lows until I replace the stock tubes with mullards.
You wrote the LL2 Deluxe lacked detail in the highs and lows. Lack of highs and lows are characteristics of a preamp that lacks transparency and neutrality.

If you re-read all I have written in this thread, and all I have written about the LL2 Deluxe in about 25 other threads, you will see that I owned one and that I loved it.

IMO, in my system, it was not as neutral as the Modwright, Atma-Sphere, First Sound or Bryston preamps I have owned.

Lack of ultimate transparency/neutrality doesn't mean the preamp doesn't sound wonderful. In fact, I enjoyed the LL2 Deluxe more than the Bryston, Modwright and First Sound preamps, and if the LL2 Deluxe was balanced (a preferred requirement of Sashav's mentioned above), it's a good bet I'd still own one.

Frankly, we both seem to be admirers of this preamp, and we are both believers in the benefits of using Mullard Blackburn tubes. So, other than differing opinions about the degree of neutrality of the stock unit (which your November post indicates you actually experienced), I cannot understand what your beef is.
More to discover