I need help choosing my next tube preamp.

Steveaudio, I use XLR from my cd player ARC CD3MkII into my preamp. I've noticed, and heard from others, that the CD3MkII sounds considerably better through balanced outs. And I prooved it true in my system. It is hard to say though what sounded better either the player or a preamp likes balanced input, I'm not 100% certain. But still want XLRs in any case.

Dodgealum, I appreciate the mod reccomendation, but I would like to upgrade to a different preamp instead. Mods improve things, but the core sonic signature seems to always stay the same. That's been my experience. In any case, I guess I just want a little bit more of the tube bloom than LS-15 is capable of producing. Little more involvement in the music and more liquidity in the overall presentation. Even if I fully modd LS-15 and end up still not where I want it sonically, I'll loose more money when I'll be selling it, because the mods don't add much to the prices of used gear. I've read somewhere on these threads that someone purchased a used GNSC fully modded LS-25 that sold for only about $400 more than the stock LS-25 usually goes for.

Right now, based on the recommendations here, I added VAC to my short list of preamps. I'll give the VAC guys a call tomorrow to see if there are any dealers in NYC or Jersey. I would like to listen to it.

modwright 9 swl--worth considering!

modwright 9 swl--worth considering!
Mid40sguy (Threads | Answers)

Nope. You haven't read the entire thread. No preamp without XLR need apply.

I have owned over 20

1) Dodd audio reference linestage
2) Dodd audio battery powere

Audphile1-

Glad VAC is at least on your list - tell Kevin "Harve says hi" if you talk to him. In answer to your questions - I tried both SE and balanced from my APL-modded Denon 3910 to the Preamp. SE sounded better in my system, which is not surprising since the APL was designed to sound the best single-ended (Alex Peychev, the designer, is not a big believer in balanced ICs from the source).

I also tried SE and balanced from the VAC to DNA-500, but there was a complication since there is a "Steridian"(a/k/a proprietary equalizer-type box) between the preamp and amp for my Whisper speakers (which really does work, most of the time.....)Anyway, what I discovered was that the Steridian processed a SE signal more cleanly and with more energy than it did a Balanced signal, in my system. I know that may not make much sense, because it didn't to me either, but it is/was a peculiarity of the Steridian design (among several others, which is off topic). Legacy has since replaced this problematically-engineered box with another much more expensive(Thousands $$) equalizer that supposedly doesn't have such problems.

Since SE worked the best in my system, as discussed above, those are the cables I invested in. I got a SE Virtual Dynamics Revelation Signature IC for the Denon-VAC conncetion and a combination of VD Revelation and Nirvana S-X Ltd, both SE, between the VAC Phi-Steridian-DNA-500. I tried easily 20 different IC combinations, mostly from John at the Cable Company, before arriving at my current set-up. Yes, cables DO INDEED make a difference in a resolving system!

I added bi-wired Revelation speaker cables and am now as close to my "that's it - I'm done" as I am going to get for the foreseeable future. As I said, the sound is just incredible, both to my ears and others who have listened. I am now simply, finally, ENJOYING THE MUSIC!!!

Hope this helps..........