For Sale
SAS model 10A stereo vacuum tube linestage preamp.
I replaced my separate linestage and phono stages with a Manley Steelhead 2 years ago. I took the 10A out of the system at that time, and have finally decided that I can sell it.
I bought this 10A directly from SAS in August 2004. It is a fine unit, fully living up to the outstanding review in Bound for Sound, and I thought long and hard before making this decision to sell it. People who buy these hold on to them, and you rarely see them for sale.
I made a couple of changes to the unit during its time in my system:
1. I installed two external chassis ground points on the back panel to facilitate unit-to-unit ground wiring. This may help an owner to remedy ground loops by trial-and-error, particularly when using phono step-up transformers.
2. The SAS volume and balance control arrangement consists of a separate ALPS volume pot for each channel - no separate balance control. I replaced the pots with a remotely controllable DACT step attenuator. I have reinstalled the original volume control setup for the sale, so the unit is back in its original configuration. The step attenuator sounded great, and I discussed it with SAS some time ago, but it was very expensive, and SAS has not pursued that line of development. I can reinstall the attenuator & remote if the buyer wants, for a price.
There are a few cosmetic flaws in the unit:
1. A small hole in the front panel, where an IR sensor for a remote volume control, since removed, had been mounted. This hole is now cleanly filled with a black nylon plug and is quite unobtrusive. It is the black dot visible between and slightly above the volume knobs in the front panel picture.
2. A 5/16-inch hole in the back panel where the DC power input for the step attenuator remote circuit was located. Again, filled with a black vinyl plug.
3. Four 1/32-inch holes in the left side of the case where the remote control circuit board was mounted.
4. One small nick at the top edge of the front panel, approximately the size of a pencil tip.
This is what SAS now calls the Standard 10A. When I bought it, for $1594, it was the only version of the 10A. You may review the SAS website here:
http://www.sasaudiolabs.com/pream10a.htmThe unit has a new set of the preferred JJ E88CC tubes. It sounds as fine, and works as well, as it did when new. Here are some pictures
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery:
I am asking $800 or best offer for this unit. It is located in southern Maryland, USA.
