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Need Tube Preamp Warmth

I’m looking for recommendations for a tube preamp with a warm presentation, good soundstaging and imaging, and low-end extension.
It will replace my Rogue Perseus Magnum, which is a detailed, neutral sounding preamp with a great amount of extension in the highs. Even using Mullard Longplates, I’m not getting the sound I want.

The preamp is paired with a Sunfire 300 which has an input impedance of 42 kOhms and input sensitivity of 1.64V. (Single-ended).

The rest of my system is comprised of:
ARC CD3 mk II
Linn Axis TT
Gallo CL-3 speakers
Purist Audio Aqueous speaker cables
Cardas Parsec ICs
Audience PowerChords

The ideal preamp will reproduce classical music in an organic and natural way. (Not looking for vintage).
My budget is $2000 to $2500 used. Any help is much appreciated.
lowrider57
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
3,018 posts
 
Thank you, Polk432. A tube amp would provide the most realistic sonics. I ultimately will give tubes a try, but that's for my next generation system.

For now I'm very happy with my Sunfire amp, it's got warmth, excellent dynamics, and it's so smooth that I would call it very non-solid state sounding. Perfect for Classical music.

For the record, I'm not trying to get a tube sound out of my system (of course I'd need a tube amp), I like the timbre and characteristics that a tube preamp can provide.
I had a very nice sound with the Jolida as my preamp, but the damn thing was too noisy.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
3,018 posts
 
Please don't take offense, but FWIW, sounds like a short term approach and you might be better off figuring out what other component isn't natural enough sounding and making you feel like extra warmth is needed.

Sbank, none taken and I'll look into your suggestions.
I don't feel this is a short term approach, I've chosen wisely with the budget I've had (also spent a lot on power conditioning). The synergy between amp, speaker cables and Gallo speakers have a very natural and realistic image. I've substituted preamps and could hear the realism of a string quartet...it sounds lovely.

To quote you, "what other component isn't natural enough sounding..." It's the preamp; it is analytical with every type of tube. That's it's design and my mistake was during my audition it was paired with a tube amp.

I appreciate your advice and perhaps "warmth" is not the way I should describe it, but there's no doubt that a preamp upgrade is called for.
c1ferrari
464 posts
 
Lowrider,

BAT VK-5i, perhaps?
jackmonster
19 posts
 
There is an Emotive Sira listed on here now that fits your budget. I heard my friends- really nice sound.
srosenberg's avatar
srosenberg
209 posts
 
While not as 'tubey' as the CJ offerings, I'm extremely impressed with the Modwright SWL9.0SE I picked up a few months ago. After some tube rolling, I settled on Amperex 7119 Pinched, which moved things tonally in the 'tubey' direction. Sounds absolutely fantastic to me.
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