Best preamp for and EAR890 / ESL57 rig

Ggavetti, take a look at my recent Gon review of the Audio Valve Eklipse preamp, which is in your budget range. In a past review, on the ASL's Flora preamp I discuss my auditioning of a Shindo Labs linestage that was ok, but nothing special in my system. The Eklipse is a world class preformer, beautifully built with German craftsmanship, and competes with virtually anything out their regardless of price. You might want to the Eklipse on your audition list.

Hi
Do you use an active crossover before the main amps and the bass amps? Or are the amp inputs in paralell ?
If the Aragon amps are in paralell with your EAR tube amp, assuming 10K typical input impedance for a SS amp and 100K for a tube amp, your preamp must be able to drive a 9.000 ohms effective impedance, which is not an easy task for regular tube preamps. Bass extension, dynamics and maybe high-frequency extension will suffer.

You will probably have to narrow it down to robust tube preamps with very low output impedance and huge output coupling caps, for example ARC Ref. 3 and VTL 7.5. Look for a wide frequency response spec into a 10K load.
BTW your Klyne preamp has low output impedance.

Also, you probably need a preamp with two main outputs, to avoid those Y adapters.
I hope this helps
C.A.

Casouza, I use the crossover that comes standard with the Gradient woofers. It cuts at around 120Hz. GG

If CD is your only source consider eliminating a pre all together.

THe Raysonic 168 has balanced tube variable output stage. It is so good I sold a $3K preamp

Tweak 1, I tried what you suggested with poor results -- for some reasons the bass is less precise and too loud, even when I set it at the minimum level using the volume dial that comes with the crossover. Also, the EAR 890 offers poor volume controls. Thanks. GG