Reference preamp with laid back and relaxed highs

If nothing is 'set in stone' ditch the 'balanced' concept and just get another Lamm!

I might be wrong but I asssume that - 1)Balanced systems are a hard-core audiophile concept for those willing to explore diminishing returns and 2) No hard core audiophuile is going to want laidback highs and upper mids because that will reduce 'percieved' imaging and speed. Just a guess of course. :-)

FWIW, by way of example, I just 'gave up' deep powerful bass' and extended highs in a tube amp using some favorite 6550's and KT88's and inserted some very humble KT88's with softer highs and less powerful bass. Maybe it just synergy but my sound is much more 'musical' (natural) with the cheapie tubes. Go figure.

PS I realize you don't have a tube amp, that was only by way of illustration that there may be more than one way of skinning a kitty.

Tvad,

Well the obvious answer is the Lamm L2 Reference. (It has balanced outputs.) The sound should be very similar. (I say "should", because I have not heard the LL2 Deluxe, but I have heard the L2 Reference a few times, and its sonics are somewhat the way that you describe.)

I would think that you'd want to stick with tubed units, as they tend to be more laid back than solid state units. (Although, technically, the Lamm L2 is a solid state unit, but with a tubed power supply. Go figure, huh?!)

Good Luck!

Well if you're not set entirely on tubes... how 'bout John Atkinson's new reference: the Parasound Halo JC2? Designed by John Curl and Bob Crump of CTC Blowtorch fame. John loved the "silky highs" when driving a Boulder 860 and mentions it's better mated with warmer amps.

http://www.parasound.com/pdfs/JC2StereophileReview.pdf

04-14-08: Newbee
...I asssume that - 1)Balanced systems are a hard-core audiophile concept for those willing to explore diminishing returns and 2) No hard core audiophile is going to want laidback highs and upper mids because that will reduce 'percieved' imaging and speed.

Probably correct. I should not have used the word reference as an adjective.

I suppose I'm interested in some coloration, rather than the Absolute Sound. So, all suggestions are welcome.

Since I run 30 foot interconnects, I assume balanced is preferable to single ended, which is why I mentioned balanced as a criteria.

conrad johnson ART.

I run 6 metre IC between pre and power with no issues.