SMc Audio VRE preamp anyone?

The quiet is due to more than just balanced operation. Power supply design. Lack of tubes. Parts quality...

I ran the Lamm balanced, and I ran an ARC Ref3 balanced, and neither was as quiet as the VRE-1 by a significant margin.

Congrats.

I had an equally quiet system...Bryston BP-25 + Bryston 14B SST. Solid state and balanced.

That said, I plan to reintroduce tube amps into my system this year, regardless of the added noise.

I have had mine since last December. I needed a 0 gain pre-amp to run with my high gain Yamamoto A-09S 300B amp to a pair of Zu Definition Mk II speakers. While this may sound like a somewhat unnatural pairing, I have been extremely pleased. As Tvad indicated, quiet, resolution and dynamics are all there. In addition I have found it to be very balanced. While this is my first high dollar pre-amp, I have owned the Blue Circle BC-3, Joule Electra LA-150 Mk I and First Sound Presence Deluxe Mk II. I have also had in my system pre-amps from CAT and Supratek. While none of them sounded bad, they all left me with a feeling that something was missing. That feeling is now gone. I never think about the pre-amp anymore. That's probably the highest compliment I can give.

Mark

Mrpaul made an excellent observation about tonal balance. The VRE-1 is
exceptionally well balanced. It displays the best tonal balance of any preamp I
have owned or auditioned including First Sound Presence Deluxe II, Bryston BP-
25, Supratek Cortese, Audio Horizons TP2.1 balanced, Modwright 9.0SWL,
Lamm LL2 Deluxe, Lamm L2 Reference, ARC Ref 3.

Mrpaul, thanks for posting your amp and speakers. Yours is a direction I may be
heading in the coming months.