My brother use a pair Bel Canto 1000M(500W@8 ohm) class D power amp to drive a pair B&W 802D speakers. He is happy with the 1000M. The pre-amp is a Bel Canto Pre3VB. He want to improve sound. Is there any suggestion a better pre-amp to match 1000M? Thanks.
Yes, tube active, lush even, to round out stark but clear class D and detailed B&W. Maybe Conrad-Johnson. Perhaps a pre which uses 6SN7's. Cary SLP-98. Stay away from passive pre's with D class amps.
I agree with a tube preamp suggestion to go along with your Class D type amps. I have a budget system and am finding great synergy between a Xiang Sheng 728A preamp along with Red Dragon Audio M1000 Mk1 monoblocks. I had the 728A modified though to accommodate 6X4 rectifier tubes and the required adapters for them.
I have tried The TRL Dude, Conrad Johnson Premier 16LS, EAR 868, eastern Electric Avant, all tubes, and all sound fantastic with my Bel Canto ref 1000 M amps as well as with Class D audio SDS 470 amps. Tubes, tubes, tubes the key !
Any decent tube preamp or buffer stave would go nicely with Class D amps. As mentioned, tubes are the key to a well balanced system using Class D amplification. We have been designing around Class D for several years. The Bel Canto's have a high input Impedance, 100K/200K ohms so there are no concerns there. They do have a rather high sensitivity at 3V but again, most preamps will drive them to full power with no problem
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