Who makes the least expensive Tube Pre-Amp?

watch for a used conrad johnson PV 5,6,or7 (300-500)they will perform with the ability to determine what your seeking. if you decided to not keep around, will be able to liquidate without any dificulty.

AMC makes cheap and decent tube pre.
OTherwise, please look into Bel Canto.
Good luck

Marakanetz,

Does this mean that the CJ PV-10AL that retailed for $1k is not a good design?

What about Rogue 66, readily available for less than $1k?

What about one of several AR preamp models, again readily available for less than a kilobuck?

What about a CAT with some scratches on its face available for less than $1k?

I hope that my sarcasm has not fallen on a deaf(golden) ear.

I will stipiulate that within a particular manufacturer's products, if they offer more than one preamp, and one costs $400, and the other costs $4000, the $4000 pre stands a good chance of sounding better.

But if you're saying that you can't get a good sounding preamp at less than $1k USED, you're just wrong.

Cheers, and good luck.

Forget all these $1000 models. They're all great, but you asked for inexpensive. The Bottlehead Foreplay is VERY highly regarded, and can be found used for $150-300.

JD

Gthirteen,
CJ and Rogue you've mentioned are fall onto the category of hobbyist-designed and built products. For its performance and reliability they should realy cost much less than being currently sold.

It's realy new for me to se CAT for less than a kilobuck but if that's the case than it's realy a great deal.

I always was excited the way Audio Research designs any product they sell and agree that their models deserve attention for all.

You can take my kilobuck statement as in-out range and in on more or less degree absolutely subjectively on inexpencive products something is missing what should be present.

Basically all I'm saying is not to fall onto belief that it will improve cause very often it will not if not carefully examined and/or tested.
For example, quite objectively, if I look onto Foreplay that is sold with kits or assembled by some small hobbyist company for quite cheap why should I believe that it will sound better than SS preamp manufactured by large manufacturer such as McIntosh, Audio Research or Plinius?