Which preamp to pair with Moon W5 amplifier?

take the above coment with a grain of salt- I use a highly modded Sonic Frontiers Line 3 preamp (2-chassis 65 ib beasty), along with a Sim Audio W-3 amp, and the bass is full and deep...

Stehno - Interesting comment about lack of bass, I had that problem when I bought my W5 based off the reviews. I had no BASS with my Audible Illusions L1 preamp (tube). After two weeks I returned it to the Dealer and Bought an EAD PowerMaster 2000 amplfier which solved both ends of the sonic Spectrum...

I have owned the Placette Active (single Ended) and it is an amazing preamp! it made one of the biggest improvements in my overall system. It is amazing how much a preamp can get in the way of your music

Stehno: I have had no problem with low end. In fact I pruchased W5 to replace Bryston 4BST (a bass master)based on reviews in both Sterophile and the absolute sound, both of which raved about it's phenomenal low end. In fact even in passive mode with the Adcom Pre, the low end is tremendous. I would like a little more midrange liquidity. Using Classe CDT-1 and DAC1 front end and B&W CDM7SE speakers. MIT top of the line cables all around except for illuminati balanced digital.

Bbybaudio, I purchased the W-5 when I still owned a BAT vk500 with BATPAK. The BAT had far superior bass control and definition with my Aerial 10T speakers with almost endless supply of power in comparison to the W-5.

But the W-5 was easily superior to the BAT in every other respect except the bass.

Basically what I thought I was hearing was a congested and/or compressed and ill-defined bass that simply got worse as the volume got louder. Low listening levels weren't too bad.

At the time, I was well aware of the write-ups on the W-5's bass from the mags which helped persuade me to make the purchase. But I just assumed the amp simply was not a good match for my speakers since they do demand a bit of power. I sold the W-5 for an amp that had the speed of the W-5 but it's bass was even better than the BAT.

Then a couple of years later I was on Sim Audio's web-site reading a review of the W-5 and the P-5 by Peter Moncrief of International Audio Review and although he too likes the W-5, he described the bass deficiencies that I too had experienced.

I am now on yet another amp with a bass reproduction that is simply out of this world IMO.

Still the W-5 is a wonderful amp in many ways. And I think for some to many listeners the W-5 would be quite an eye opener for the musical nuances that it reveals, speed of transient attack, and for it's overall sweet presentation.

-IMO

Stehno:

Thanks for your input. My local simaudio dealer actually recommended the Audio Research LS25 MK II. In fact, he does not dislike the Adcom as long as it is in passive mode.