[sandbagger]

Pete

Wished I had known you were looking for a tube preamp

The Melody PB101 just got a nice review http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0311/melody_valve_hifi_pure_black_101.htm

[zybar]

IF you want to pay shipping, I can ship it out to you for 2 weeks.  94 lbs in a foam lined crate.





The Dude is $4k now and does not offer remote or true balanced operation.  I have dual Shallco attenuators and 4 inputs with pseudo balanced connections provided to accommodate cabling flexibility.

I'm leaning toward Belles or McCormack amperage in the mondo arena.

Thanks for the offer Pete. 

Given the size/weight and the fact that it doesn't meet my needs (remote volume control, fully balanced operation, etc...) or has a feature I detest (dual control volume pot setup), it isn't worth the hassle of shipping it back and forth.

George

[rbwalt]

joule electra LA150MK2 or SE if it is in your price range. go with the Belles gear.very good ss and it is made in rochester new york and not Chinwa.

r.

[Levi]

Congrats on the new preamp Pete!  I could have told you about the synergy between your BAT VK-500 and their BAT VK-51SE.  I used to own a VK-500.  In the end it boils down to your speakers and your listening taste.

Over the years, I went through several BAT preamps/amps and as you go higher up their line the better it sounded (duh).  I heard the BAT REX preamp, BAT 75SE tube amps, Wilson Sophia and I can assure you that it is truly good!  However if you like tubey sound, that is not what BAT is all about.

I owned from BAT VK-30, VK-31, 31SE to 51SE.  Victor said I can upgrade mine to VK-52SE then to REX if I gave him enough money.  Ha ha ha ha!

[Gopher]

I looked at Shindo and I called reps twice and they said it wasn't for me!?!  So they soured me on the use of their devices and I moved on.

LOL... Was there more to the story or was this a soup nazi-type: "No preamp for you!"

[Big Red Machine]

LOL... Was there more to the story or was this a soup nazi-type: "No preamp for you!"

It was weird.  When they asked and described my system they said that a Shindo preamp was not right for me!  Twice!  I made separate phone calls to two different reps.  Okay.

[Big Red Machine]

Congrats on the new preamp Pete!  I could have told you about the synergy between your BAT VK-500 and their BAT VK-51SE.  I used to own a VK-500.  In the end it boils down to your speakers and your listening taste.

Over the years, I went through several BAT preamps/amps and as you go higher up their line the better it sounded (duh).  I heard the BAT REX preamp, BAT 75SE tube amps, Wilson Sophia and I can assure you that it is truly good!  However if you like tubey sound, that is not what BAT is all about.

I owned from BAT VK-30, VK-31, 31SE to 51SE.  Victor said I can upgrade mine to VK-52SE then to REX if I gave him enough money.  Ha ha ha ha!

The BAT gear is top notch, I agree.  I almost bought a second VK500 to bi-amp!  In fact, I sold mine to a guy doing just that!!!

[Levi]

I sold all my BAT amps when I changed my speakers.  It was synergy thing.  My electricity bill surely went down a little too.  Even their preamps were running in CLASS A and you can literally fry an egg on them.

However, the VK-51SE is a keeper.  It has fully balanced topology from input to output, dual mono configuration and uses 8x 6H30 super tubes with enough power reserve suitable to run power amplifiers.   

Is this what you have inside?

[Big Red Machine]

I haven't opened it yet.  Just de-crated it last night at 9:30 PM.  It sets on the dining room table waiting for amplification.

[Levi]

Ok never mind.  It was a different version of Dude preamp that I listened to.

[Big Red Machine]

Well the Dude has officially been powered up now that I have some temporary amps in place.  I spent 2 hours last night before my eyes began to droop and the thing is really amazing.  You never quite know what sound you will get; will it be aggressive, narrow soundfield, hot in one band over another, too laid back, or what have you. 

The unit only has some cheapo RCA 6SN7's until TRL can receive their shipment of tubes intended to be in there.  And with my DIY power cables, 10+ year old amps, and a quickly thrown together system last night I can say that this thing is really special.

Cliches is something I try to avoid, but this thing is very musical, very graceful, has a wide soundstage, and I just hear more in the recordings than I have in the past.  I'm happy this is the result because after 6 long months and many silly delays I could have scored many other preamps during that time.  Oh, and it is very quiet.  Nice black background to the music.