[hertz]

What are the other preamps that you have used with the stratos amplfier ? I mean other than the candela ?
I would appreciate any firsthand experiences
I have seen people liking the Balanced audio technology and modright. Any others ?

[denjo]

I have auditioned the Stratos Plus with a McCormack ALD-1 Rev A Gold and they were a great combo!

I have also listened the Stratos with the Modwright and agree that there was quite a bit of synergy there as well.

[bunky]

I used a Odyssey Tempest SS/Candela tubed/ Anthem pre1L tubed/BAT VK3i tubed/SAS Audiolabs 10A tubed preamplifiers with a pair of Stratos Mono Extreme's that were finally transformed into Mono Extreme SE's. Thanks....WCW III

[gongos]

I use my Extremes with EVS Ultimate Attenuators and have fantastic results. Tried a number of high end preamps and the attenuators always were the best.

[ecramer]

I'm running a Rogue Magnum 99 with mine and i have run a Rotel 1070 The rotel sounded good but the the rogue is very very good.

ED

Right now i am in the search for a better  SS Pre than my rotel with phono for the summer so the tubes are not fighting the air conditioner all summer.

[BillB]

We did a little shootout with a Manley Shrimp, VTL Deluxe, Aikido 24v, Burson discrete, and Candela.

Manley and Aikido were tops.

[Wizard454]

I alternate between a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 SE+ (PCX - Chris Johnson modified) and a stock Byrston BP26. Both mate extremely well with my mono extreme SE's, each brings something different to the table and would be very hard pressed to to give either one up.

Good luck!

[lazydays]

What are the other preamps that you have used with the stratos amplfier ? I mean other than the candela ?
I would appreciate any firsthand experiences
I have seen people liking the Balanced audio technology and modright. Any others ?

technically I don't qualify as I have mono blocs, but here's what I've used in the past in one form or another:
* Quicksilver linestage...not bad but no where close to a Candella, but still has a couple of pluses
* Conrad Johnson PV10AL...quieter than most, but kinda thin
* ASL 2004 with upgraded caps....not as good as the other two, and not as quiet. Over was somewhat dull
* B&K something or another that I use to break in equipment
* Sonograph (?) ... hated it from the start, but had a very good phonostage (was too bright and a lot of CD like
   glare)
* Conrad Johnson PV14 or maybe 16....really liked this one, but the Candella still have more presence and bass
   in my system (I never heard this one with my glass ceiling amps as well as the B&K and the PV10AL)

   What the Candella does right; the others will fall by the way side trying to do. But I think the candella would benifit from an external power supply and an isolated phono input (tape loop would also be a plus here as well).
I think our friend Alex should give us an SE upgrade path with four inputs (one being very discrete), or maybe add the tempest phonostage to the mix
gary

[maxwalrath]

Tried EE Minimax and Modwright...preferred Modwright (no knock to the EE...it's a few hundred cheaper)

[TomS]

Bigfish (Ken) had the Candela and new has a Mapletree with his Mono's.  He seems very pleased so you might ping him on PM.  Tom

[GeorgeHudetz]

I'm using a Manley Shrimp with my Khartago monos (which have the cap, resistor, wiring upgrades, etc. so the sonic signature should be similar to the SEs) and am very happy with the sound.  However, the Shrimp is the only pre I have used with the Khartagos, so take this with a grain of salt, but I have no desire to change either the pre or the amps at this point.  They work very well together.

Here is a thread that describes how I have my Shrimp set up:

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=40144&highlight=shrimp

[Miney]

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=40144&highlight=shrimp

  Gourmet indeed!

[hertz]

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=40144&highlight=shrimp

  Gourmet indeed!

Good one 
Thanks a lot for all the great responses. Looks like we have so many interesting options.

[honesthoff]

DeHavilland UltraVerve 2.  Best I tried.

[hertz]

Have anyone tried the Promitheus TVC based passive preamp with the stratos ? A friend of mine is contemplating this ?

[undertow]

Delete

[Hyfi]

I have used an older Hafler 945 Pre-Tuner
Sound Valves 101i
VAC CLA-1 MKII (current pre)

I have been swapping back and forth between the Stratos and an old Counterpoint NPS-400 I just brought back to life.

I would say the Tube pre with the Stratos is excellent.

[bondmanp]

Currently using a used Connie-J PV11 (w/phono).  Overall, very pleased, but I have room and tube issues I need to deal with.  I am working with the tech at Conrad-Johnson (extremely helpful even though I bought this piece used and it is at leat 15 years old).

The C-J was purchased to separate out my 2-CH sources from my combo HT/stereo rig.  The pre-pro is a Sherwood-Newcastle P-965.  It has many operational quirks, but actually sounds quite good as a preamp.  While it has limited soundstage dimensions, it is consistenly smooth and listenable.  The C-J, while offering more detail, wider and deeper soundstage dimensions, lays bare too much of my source component shortcomings.

It's funny, I know the PV11 is a superior preamp, yet there are times when music coming through the pre-pro from a DVD or FM broadcast just sounds superb in ways that I never hear from my 2-channel sources fed directly to the C-J.  Bearing in mind that the pre-pro feeds an input on the C-J, I have to conclude that my 2-channel sources (especially CDP) need work.

My HT3 (w/cap upgrade - new boards L/R, old board for center channel) was a serious upgrade over my Rotel amp.  Considerably smoother, and much more dynamic.