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Help with finding ultra-transparent pre-amp

I got a new player, Wadia 581i SE, and once I hooked it up directly to amps I realized that my pre-amp is not transparent enough.
To make a long story short, I would like to find a very transparent pre-amp to be inserted between player and amps (no coloration, no shift in tonality, and no loss in dynamics, micro or macro), that would result in a sound indistinguishable from the sound of my player going directly to amps.
Essentially I want a wire with attenuation control. Balanced connectivity is preferred.
I tried a transformers based passive pre-amp (it was a custom, very well executed job), result was not good, not only that it killed dynamics and resulted in a dull and uninteresting sound, but transparency was in fact worse in comparison with my present pre-amp.
Is there such a transparent pre-amp, or it is just a pipe dream?
The cost is of course to be considered, I would not go for anything that is more than let’s say 3.5K, new or used.
I have been reading about Placette (resistor based), has anyone had any experience using it in a system that has very resolving front end?
The rest of my system:
Bryston BP26 pre-amp
Bryston 7B SST amps
PMC IB2 speakers
sashav
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
beware of what you want, for you may get it, tehn what ?

most preamps tend towards the "truth". pick any solid state preamp, and most tube preamps. you won't be disappointed.
you will attain as much resolution as you want and more.

here is a simple suggestion: nuforce preamp.
sashav OP
64 posts
 
Bar81, no more suspense please, let’s hear impressions, from the cold start :)
BTW, what is the rest of your system?
jagdynamics
28 posts
 
I agree with Mrtennis. There are many great solid state preamps along with tube amps that will do well with the Wadia 581i SE. To name a few solid state preamps that I have enjoyed in the past were (Accuphase C-2800,MBL 6010D ref.,Spectral DMC-20 ref.,) tubes: (First Sound Paramount Mk II SE,VTL 6.5 sig.,CJ Art series 2, VAC Renaissance Mk II sig.). The reason I chose the Lamm LL2 Deluxe because of its price range, and it perform the best for its resolution (1.5hz-400khz), extreme transparency (neutral) when using my Stax 4070 cans/SRM-007tII driver. By using the Stax system and having a very good source, I was able to be very critique on the audio gear. Good Luck!
bar81
754 posts
 
Not much to say as I've been out all day. Based upon my casual (and short) first listen earlier today and brief fifteen minute check in about a half an hour ago the KXR has seemingly already exceeded my expectations; suffice it to say there are no issues with regard to transparency.

The rest of the system is: Wadia 861se GNSC Statement, Ayre MX-R monoblocks, Focal Alto Utopia Be speakers, MIT Magnum MA ICs/SCs, HRS M3 platforms/kits for all components and a mix of VH Audio Airsines and Shunyata Anaconda Helix Alphas for power with MIT Z-Stabilizer III HG units.
tboooe's avatar
tboooe
1,009 posts
 
bar81, more please! Also, what is your current pre?
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