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Audible Illusions Preamp

I would appreciate if someone can enlighten in chronological order which preamp in the Audible Illusions line that came out first and which is the current model from the L1, L2, 3A, 2C, (or any others I've missed). It would also be useful if someone can advise whether the sonic character is consistent throughout the range or there is a particular model that stands out from the rest in sound quality.

Thanks in advance.
ryder
peter_s
1,088 posts
 
I've head the VTL in my system (2.5), and while not super 3D, it gets the timing and the rhythm right and the music comes through well. I would choose it above the 3a for sure. I've heard the 5.5 is even better.
aljordan
45 posts
 
Hi,

I owned a Modulus 3A for a long time and loved it. One poster said that he thought it lacked dynamics, and that could be true depending on the amp it was matched up with. The version of the Modulus 3A that I owned (circa 1999) needed an amp with an input impedance of at least 50 kOhms. If you followed the guidelines, it was a great preamp that had very nice dynamics.

I had to sell mine when I upgraded my amplifier to a more modern design that had quite a low input impedance. Mated with with a low input impedance amp, the Modulus 3A sounded thin and lacked dynamics. However, match it up properly and it is a beauty. Maybe the newer version of the 3A drives low impedance loads better, but I'm not sure.

Alan
ryder OP
946 posts
 
I have tried the preamp which was an L1. Unfortunately it wasn't an improvement to my ARC LS-16. In comparison it was unrefined and little shut-in. I think what others have said about the Audible Illusions being compressed and lacking in dynamics may have mirrored my thoughts. The good thing is the unit comes quite close to the ARC at half the cost. May be a gem for those seeking a budget unit that sounds excellent at its price range.
mingles
775 posts
 
I'm shocked to hear people say the Modulus 3A lacks dynamics. It must be an equipment mismatch. I'm intimately familiar with it in a system where it feeds a pair of Plinius SA100 MKIII driving a pair of Shahinian Hawks. The front end is a VPI MK IV with Moerch 4 and Dynavector DV-20XH. The combination is anything but lacking in dynamics! It would be extremely helpful to know what equipment was paired with the Mod 3A for those that found it lacking.
theduke
372 posts
 
AI preamps can sound a little "shut-in" if the capacitor bypass switches are set to "in". To my ears, best sound is achieved with those capacitors set to "out" which results in better high frequency extension and air.
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