World's best Pre-amp for $10K and above?


Looking for the HOLY GRAIL in Audio? Here it is. I'm in my early sixties and retiring to my final system, which I was going to purchase during the past twelve months and decided to put on the brakes, and investigate whats out there as the most advanced engineered high end audio products for the money in the market place. As far as I'm concerned, the two top engineers in the world for the best Amp and Preamp at low prices are Bent Holter with Hegel Audio in Norway and Roger Sanders with Sanders Sound in Colorado. Why? The Hegel P-30 Pre-amp is a game changer, and will easily compete with Pre-amps at $30K and above. The FM Acoustics 268 Preamp that retails for $107K, uses a technology thats called "feedforward" instead of feedback.
Amps and Pre-amps since the early 80's have all used either global feedback, zero feedback or local feedback to filter out noise and lower distortion by sending and filtering the feedback current to filter capacitors or or an extra filter transformer. A small amount of voltage feedback occurs at the output stage in amps and preamps which goes back into the parts and boards causing noise and distortion which smears the quality of the music.The best Preamps in the world all have S/N noise ratios at 125 db's or above. The Hegel P-30 Preamp uses the same feedforward technology as FM Acoustics but is a more current design that Bent Holter calls "Sound Engine" patented technology that eliminates feedback which is why the P-30 Preamp has a S/N ratio of 132 db's, which has never been accomplished in high end audio with a Preamp costing $10K or below. The same applies to Roger Sanders Magtech amplifier which uses a patented linear voltage regulator that controls and regulates voltage with no excess voltage going back into the amp causing heat and distortion problems. The amp puts out 900 watts into 4ohms. Krell makes a pair of mono blocs that also use a similar voltage regulator. The amps are $100K a pair. HERES THE PERFECT SOLID STATE SYSTEM. A Hegel P-30 Preamp. A Sanders Magtech amp, A pair of Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers. The worlds finest SACD player, the Playback Designs MPS-5, designed by Andreas Koch, who invented SACD technology when he worked for Sony. He built the worlds first outboard DAC in 1982 and is legend in digital engineering. The MPS-5 is the most analog sounding player on the market which costs $17K. The Hegel P-30 is only $7500.00 and the Magtech amp is only $5K. The Aerials are $10K. Buy the solid core cables from Morrow Audio. They are low capacitance cables which matches up perfectly with these components. This combination sounds like the very best tube and solid state gear on the market. The whole system will cost about $42K but will sound as good as any system costing $200K. All of these products are game changers. If you want better looking cabinets and faceplates, then blow your money, but you will not get better performance for what this system has to offer. It is the HOLY GRAIL you are searching for and there is no better combination for the total cost of the system.
audiozen
Podeschi,
I`ve read good things about the Hegel preamp and hope you`re happy with it.I would say though that you didn`t hear the VAC SIG MK II at anywhere near its best if you only heard the stock tubes. The VAC is capable of an entirely different level of sound with better tubes installed.Hegel appears to be gathering more attention in this country.It would have been interesting to compare the VAC with better tubes to the Hegel P 30.
Regards,
Charles1dad, I had (and sold) the VAC Ren Mk iii, not the signature. The Hegel P30 to my ears made the VAC 450S sing - tighter more articulate bass, bigger soundstage, more air and extension. The VAC Ren slowed down and constricted the 450S by comparison. But we are talking gold and silver medal winners - no losers or laggards. Both preamps kick butt compared to any 10-20k preamps I have auditioned. Hegel is a sleeper brand. They could double their asking price and still be competitive. I was shocked. Zero bling factor , but for me i listen to my equipment more than i look at it.

Aprica88, I pulled my ad down for the VAC 450S - instead of buying constellation gear right now i am going to see if i can improve the A/C in my listening room. The 450 throws the heat. A good combo is vac in winter and h30 in summer.
Charles1dad, i had/sold vac ren mk iii not the signature. P30 was more lively, extended, fast, open etc, and almost matched harmonic textural realism of VAC. Both were/are winners. I thought Hegelbrought out best of vac 450 amp.

Aprica88, i took the ad down for vac amp, going to try to increase a/c capability in my listening room - 450 throws the heat. If not then maybe constellation at some point. VAC 450 for the winter and Hegel H30 for the summer may be all i need.