Ok, I now have right at 500 hours on the preamp section and I will say that the built in preamp sounds exactly the same as Pure Music used as the volume control which is to say world class. I preferred Pure Music as the attenuator over the Allnic 3000 (the unit with the optional larger output transformers)and the Bat Rex (yes these were in my home in my system). I would say that you would have to shop carefully and spend about right around $7K to equal or beat it. Obviously the Allnic and the Bat cost more that $7k which is why I said you would have to shop carefully.
Neither of those units could compete with PM on transparency or dynamics and as I stated the AMR and PM are indistinguishable. The guys at AMR do their homework and it does take 500 hours before the linestage is run in. In all fairness, the MFA Copper Classic has routinely been compared to active preamps that cost $10K and up so that was not a fair comparison (one reviewer stated that you would need to spend $80K on an active t obeat the Classic but that was some years ago and things move on :). I will say that the linestage is good to the point that if one has not dropped serious money on a pre...I would fully run it in and then audition a preamp if you still think you are missing something. I agree with Jeffga., best dac I have ever heard...and like him I have heard and owned a BUNCH.
I would say the built in linestage is better than most active preamps I have listened to recently with the exception of the Concert Fidelity ($20k) and the ARC Ref 40 ($24K)... that's good company :) YMMV
Neither of those units could compete with PM on transparency or dynamics and as I stated the AMR and PM are indistinguishable. The guys at AMR do their homework and it does take 500 hours before the linestage is run in. In all fairness, the MFA Copper Classic has routinely been compared to active preamps that cost $10K and up so that was not a fair comparison (one reviewer stated that you would need to spend $80K on an active t obeat the Classic but that was some years ago and things move on :). I will say that the linestage is good to the point that if one has not dropped serious money on a pre...I would fully run it in and then audition a preamp if you still think you are missing something. I agree with Jeffga., best dac I have ever heard...and like him I have heard and owned a BUNCH.
I would say the built in linestage is better than most active preamps I have listened to recently with the exception of the Concert Fidelity ($20k) and the ARC Ref 40 ($24K)... that's good company :) YMMV