[Tomy2Tone]

It is dual mono, and has a regenerative power supply. When I first turned it on I thought it was broken because it was so quiet. Love my Sachs preamp too with the 6sn7's, and I like the looks more for sure, but this Audio-GD is pretty amazing sounding especially considering the price. And I have no desire to tube roll in it, sounds great as is. I think it really started to break in the last week or so (got it around xmas time) because last weekend I was blown by the imaging and soundstage, especially depth, like I've never heard before. There is also a solid state version for less money that is also supposed to sound great.

abd1- How much is the Audio-GD? Is it in the ballpark of the Don Sachs? Can’t seem to find a price on it.

[Phil A]

abd1- How much is the Audio-GD? Is it in the ballpark of the Don Sachs? Can’t seem to find a price on it.

It's in the review linked in post number 133 - https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/amplifier/preamplifier/audio-gd-vacuum-he1-xlr-tube-preamplifier-review/

[sunnydaze]

Solid State model:

http://www.audio-gd.com/HE/HE-12017/HE-12017EN.htm

Tube models:

http://www.audio-gd.com/HE/V1HE/V1HEEN.htm

[screener]

Pricing here - https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/audio-gd

[Tomy2Tone]

Thanks for the links guys!

[FullRangeMan]

So far the only pre-amp I had interest was the Gary Dodd battery powered, also the Mystere SRPP 6SN7 are not bad, is the case of a tube pre-amp the ideal are order one to your favorite builder with the best features.

Fancy brands assembled pre-amps are made to give large profits.

[Kw6]

So far the only pre-amp I had interest was the Gary Dodd battery powered, also the Mystere SRPP 6SN7 are not bad, is the case of a tube pre-amp the ideal are order one to your favorite builder with the best features.

Fancy brands assembled pre-amps are made to give large profits.

Agree electronic prices have been jacked sky high! For example love to try Bat pre amp bit for decent model looking at $20k!😕

[abd1]

Thanks for the links guys!

Contact Walter at Underwood. He often has specials on some of these.

[bakufu]

Contact Walter at Underwood. He often has specials on some of these.

walter is definitely one of the Good Guys. 

i purchased an ambrosia 2000 second edition from him a few years ago.  it's an end-game component in my solid-state system.

in my tube system i'm using a line magnetic AS-133 preamp.  again, i can't see any reason to search for an alternative.  the western-electric engineers knew what they were doing.

https://grantfidelity.com/new/index.php/product/analog-sound-by-line-magnetic-as-133-direct-heated-triode-2a3-tube-pre-amplifier/

[Kw6]

walter is definitely one of the Good Guys. 

i purchased an ambrosia 2000 second edition from him a few years ago.  it's an end-game component in my solid-state system.

in my tube system i'm using a line magnetic AS-133 preamp.  again, i can't see any reason to search for an alternative.  the western-electric engineers knew what they were doing.

https://grantfidelity.com/new/index.php/product/analog-sound-by-line-magnetic-as-133-direct-heated-triode-2a3-tube-pre-amplifier/

Nice pre amp hoping for $2k budget like Audio gd!

[Kw6]

Also been reading that best tube preamps use 6922 or the 6H23EB. What do you guys think? Other group seems to think 6SN7s are better?

[FullRangeMan]

Also been reading that best tube preamps use 6922 or the 6H23EB. What do you guys think? Other group seems to think 6SN7s are better?

I suspect 6SN7/6SL7 are better due the big tone, but 6922/6DJ8/6N1P allow build a cheaper amp what are manufacturer purpose/profit, in the end what count are the personal taste there is no established truth.

[Kw6]

But by using 6SN7 don't you have to pad it down a lot to get proper gain?

[FullRangeMan]

But by using 6SN7 don't you have to pad it down a lot to get proper gain?

How much is need?
If greater gain are need one could use 6SL7 = gain 70 x.

[Kw6]

How much is need?
If greater gain are need one could use 6SL7 = gain 70 x.

No mean 6SN7 has too much and need parts to throw away the signal!

[FullRangeMan]

No mean 6SN7 has too much and need parts to throw away the signal!

One always have the volume control.

[Tyson]

No mean 6SN7 has too much and need parts to throw away the signal!

Agreed, if you have a moderate to high efficiency speaker with a high gain amp, a moderate or high gain preamp is probably not the best choice.  In my downstairs system I use low gain amps and a 6SN7 preamp, and it works nicely. 

In my upstairs system I have high gain amps.  And high efficiency speakers.  I tried active preamps but they just had too much gain (and also introduced too much noise).  So for a long time I just used the Alps pot that was integrated in to my DAC.  And it was OK, but I always suspected that it was a bottleneck.  And I was right.  Lately I switched over to a Transformer based Volume Control (TVC) and wow it's MUCH better than my prior approaches. 

[mgalusha]

Lately I switched over to a Transformer based Volume Control (TVC) and wow it's MUCH better than my prior approaches.

I've been in the TVC camp for some years, it's the one component I never think about changing, it just changes the volume. With modern DAC's, many have enough voltage to drive most any amp into clipping and no gain is needed. Many phono stages do as well, I use a TVC with both of mine without a problem.

[Tyson]

I've been in the TVC camp for some years, it's the one component I never think about changing, it just changes the volume. With modern DAC's, many have enough voltage to drive most any amp into clipping and no gain is needed. Many phono stages do as well, I use a TVC with both of mine without a problem.

Well, since it's your TVC that I bought, clearly you were a smarter man than I was for a long time .

I will say this, with a pot, it only really sounded good when the volume was set at around 50% on the dial.  But with the TVC the volume sounds great at any and all settings.  Low level listening in particular is markedly better now.  It's like everything just lit up from within.

[bakufu]

Nice pre amp hoping for $2k budget like Audio gd!

walter is very enthusiastic about audio gd.