Mingles,
Thanks for your providing my demented mind with a few facts..Like the name of the company. I bought it plain and thought it was just as you describe the latter versions to be except I never did have a sense of bass bloat. I am not a buzzy bass or even a bassophile.
I used speakers for 25 years that couldn't woof a woof -really below 100 cycles you heard almost silence. That never bothered me a bit. Since then I have kept those old Klipsch Heresies made in 1976 then modded by my kids 20 years later who crinkled the dust covers on both. I also use VSA VR2s last batch or so from San Diego and finally a pair of JM labs Electras 938 and 7 more pairs? Anyway the Electras have 2 X 7 or 8 inch woofers each and are front ported in the bass enclosure. When I got them home, I thought I was being bassed to death. Now since getting tube monos and this pre it is sheer nirvana (OK it took 5 years but who is counting).
Just a couple of thoughts again I appreciate your input. I haven't the reference frame on the foreplay. I have heard a couple times but they didn't hold my attention. I was honestly more fascinated by the 2A3 amp blasting some La Scalas that I bought. I can't say if the foreplay is good bad or anything.
The notion you and Uncle Kevin share regarding bass bloat was not remotely a prominent feature. it wasn't evident to me or anyone who had heard it.
I really listen very carefully I am a gear idiot and like my toys and my music. A couple of potential explainations are- I disagree with your assesment of the 6SN7s you chose the 5692 are well known for their smooth soft attack I own a couple pairs just because I collect this tube. The GTBs are also on the warm colored side IMHO very euphonic but suffers attacks of hayfever periodically with a buzzy chesty resonance which makes them a great choice. The tubes you picked are great tubes but not buzz busters. I am using "Ws" tried Tung Sol GT Round plates regular CHS VT231s and Ken Rad . If it was going to hammer me with bass the CKRs would have done it for sure.
The second issue is that Boy Genius owed me a power supply or sub or anything I said in desperation eventually. He read the Modding hype on the AE-3 and said except for the rectifier I can make this a DJH sig in two days. I grabbed the chance just to settle with the guy. He and I were both convinced it would probaly sound worse. All I can say is that it sounded fine with no noticeble deficits or unwanted sounds whew!
A very smart well versed all round great guy here on the Gon and now elswhere in addition, said he couldn't get over it either. If you think the modding tightens up the ?Flabby loose bass? then sure if you can afford it do it. either way it's a steal.
My only question is how good or bad is the AES phono pre. I ended up forsaking my ARC SP6 B. I still have it but it's not hooked up. An SS phono stage is en route I hope, it is the Graham Amp 2 SE another giant killer so they say. Tubes when really put to the task of multiplying a weak signal a hundred thousand times, shows off every pimple in it, their real colors. Only a precious few can make a real quiet floor and then maintain that state which by definition they can't, believe me however slow and insidious it is, they will burn out. It is just physics what can you say. Since I love everything else tubes do, I am a devoted tube guy just not for phono stages. When I open a store here on the gon to dispose of all this shit. I will try some new stuff, maybe a Foreplay.
