2. amps-preamps
  3. 1357490475

I’m looking for suggestions for a tube Pre Amp

My Current System:

Benchmark USB DAC1
NAD M3 Integrated Amp
Vandersteen 2CE

For a long time I was rocking a Wavelength Brick USB Dac (which is a tube dac) as my source component, but have now moved to a Benchmark DAC1 USB. I like the idea of having a tube somewhere in my system but I don’t really think I can afford to maintain a tube amplifier. That being said, I’m considering adding in a nice tube preamp then use my NAD as a power amp only (and potentially moving away from the integrated NAD at some point).

Can anyone suggest a moderately priced Tube Preamp that would complement this system well?
128x128slappyjam
roscoeiii's avatar
roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 
Can you be more specific than "moderately priced"?
slappyjam's avatar
slappyjam OP
4 posts
 
Sure, somewhere between $1-2k
wilsynet's avatar
wilsynet
264 posts
 
For a smidgen more than 2K, you can get a used Modwright LS-100 for around $2200.

I believe you would be very happy with it.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Define 'nice tube preamp'. Are you looking for an old-fashoined warm, lush, tubey sounding tube preamp, or a more modern, articulate, transparent tube sounding preamp?
slappyjam's avatar
slappyjam OP
4 posts
 
Jmcgrogan2 - Excellent question. I think I'm looking more for the warm, lush and tubey kind of sound. That's what I feel like I had when I was using the Wavelength Brick tube DAC as my source.
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