2. amps-preamps
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Updating my preamp.Frustrating..You Bet

Well its been over a month since I went on a mission to ,not only update ,but change from a SS preamp to a tube model.I thought I was ready..narrowed it down to 3 or 4 models..price range picked 2000-4000..had my wife convinced
that life would not be worth living without a decent tube preamp and off I went thinking the worst was behind me.
WRONG!!!!!!!
I'm in information overload and having nightmares about buying the wrong preamp ,only to have a better ,more transparent, more sonically pleasing beats other preamps 10x the price model appear out of nowhere.
I know you should let your ears do the buying but has anyone heard of a shop that has all preamps know to man?
Reviews,have you ever heard of a bad one?
Are smaller companies..ie Blue Circle..Opera..Reflection..Supratek,(spelling) know to make superior products?
In the 2000-4000 price range can I really go wrong.Everything has got to sound good ,for that kind of money.
I am very isolated therefore chances of auditioning numerous
preamps are slim to none.
I need direction and suggestions.The sooner the better.
thefalls1117
cbird1
21 posts
 
I have to chime in with the sanity pleas. I know that I lost some hair looking for my last pre-amp. I got a great deal on a Melos MAR 333-which runs balanced or single ended and can be had with a great phono section..the R in MAR means that its been to MElos Audio Restoration and has been updated with a new linestage-no more mosfets, just wired point to point. george Wright makes some great pre amps and great phono stages-www.thewright-sound.com-and i have to chime in on the excellence of atmasphere and joule pre-amps. Some rooting out may be done by your choice of running balanced or single ended, remote or not etc. If you find yourself in the middle of a demo and you realize you forgot what you were listening for and are just listening-that's the one.

cheers,

cbird
newbee
4,093 posts
 
its not really possible to make any helpful suggestions without knowing what system your preamp will be used in and what type of sound you like, i.e. warm, neutral, cold. do you need a phono, etc. as for generic advise, i would stick to well established names and buy their best models used. you can keep a good preamp for a long time provided the manufacturer stays in business and can provide parts and service. think conrad johnson, arc, bat, sonic frontiers, etc. (I'm still running an 18 year old arc sp10 and its now worth more than when i bought it 16 years age!)
nearsota
46 posts
 
Go with what have been proven names and are value!I was looking to upgrade my setup and I was going to get an ARC LS9MK.II and I wish I had now.If another becomes available I might wehn I have the $$.

ARC-Used are cheap!Great Value for the $$!
Audible Illusions
Sonic Frontier
BAT
MFA
Jadis
tom_nice
387 posts
 
Blue Circle Galatea has a splendid volume control using Shallco ladder attenuators. CAT SL-1 Signture and Ultimate preamps use a series stepped attenuator whose lack of transparency I finally couldn't stand. (Their signal is put through many, many solder connections.) I'm a passive preamp fan myself, but if I weren't I'd certainly prefer the Blue Circle over anything by CAT. Some designers are wizards at circuitry, power supply regulation, and the like, and while these aspects are hugely important, a lot of their virtues can be thrown away through a mediocre volume control, IMHO.
travis's avatar
travis
239 posts
 
Hey, lawrencegrac: I find it interesting that you would consider BAT a "proven name" seeing as how their first product was introduced in 1995. BTW, Sonic Frontiers is no longer in business as a 2 channel tube preamp manufacturer although parts must surely still be available through Anthem. Maybe our friend should also consider another real proven name, Conrad-Johnson. My Atma-Sphere preamp manufacturer has been in business 21 years.
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