Jeff Rowland Pre-Amps: The Corus & The Capri

Pettyfevesk, a couple of us sure don't like your Cardas cables, huh? :-) I've never heard any so have NO opinion on Cardas. I do believe that improvements in pieces of a system are cumulative, and mine continues to improve its transparency as I improve pieces, including IC cables to Sonic Craft's best Neotec UPOCC-conductor cable and Xhadox silver-conductor RCAs. Speakercables on the 3 front channels are now a 6-conductor braid of solid-conductor Neotec UPOCC silver, and I wouldn't go back for lots of money.

On poweramps and power differences, I tend to agree that probably the 100-Watt amps will make little difference in headroom and 'ease' compared with the 60W. versions, as the 100s have only 2-1/4 dB more power, while the 160s have 4-1/4 dB more power than the 60s.

I hope whatever you do makes you happy.

BTW, it's 'preamp' and not 'pre-amp', just as it's 'preamplifier' and not 'pre-amplifier'. :-)
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Thank you Jeffrey for your thoughts. Its so hard to compare all these components when we all have different rooms and other components they are matched with.

This has been a worthwhile thread to read. Upgrading a system effectively does take some thought. It`s frustrating when potenial components are`nt available to audition.

I`ll say this, I`ve heard the Cardas cables being mentioned here compared directly in my friend`s all VAC system. Without any question the Cardas clear was 'much' better. It was more transparent,clearer,nuanced,open,dynamie, etc. Simply better in every way IMO. The Golden Reference was veiled and cloudy in comparison.
You may not be experiencing the Capri preamp to it`s full sonic potential. Just a thought. Capri+clear could equal or exceed the Corus+GR cable.
Good Luck,

Oops meant its not it`s.
Petty, I think the power amp change(XA60.5/XA100.5) would result in the lease amount of improvement.

Take a step back and please explain why you want to do any upgrade at all. The Capri is a very fine preamp. Even if the Corus is significantly better it is not clear that your system and room setup would let the improvements fully develop. This is not a knock on your system/room, but it does bring up the point that once your system gets to a certain quality level that achieving truly better sound reproduction is harder than just substituting a "better" component. You have a very high quality system now, what is it you want to improve?