What is your preamp of choice?

mca · « **on:** 13 Jan 2012, 05:12 am »

I'm not sure where this question should go, so please move if need be.

I am a long time integrated amp user. I recently sold my tube integrated and am starting my path towards separates. I purchased a Moscose 402 AU amplifier and am looking for a preamp to pair with it.

My question is, what preamp are you using in your system and why do you like it?

Gopher · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 05:21 am »

mca,

I have an Audion Premiere w/ phono that is outstanding for the money. Its a far better, more musical piece then the Shindo Auregies-L I owned before it (I've owned Shindo twice) and I believe it can hang with much costlier gear. Especially if you throw a quad of Amperex 7308 PQs in.

I think its design is based upon the four box Audion Quattro which many have dubbed the finest preamplifier on the planet. I've never heard a Quatro though...

S Clark · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 05:23 am »

I am using a modded Moscode 401HR with the original Dodd battery pre. The Dodd is pitch black, has excellent detail, clean bass, and is still musically engaging. I have no plans to change the amp or the pre.
ArthurS had a Moscode for a while and I think he paired it with a VAC pre. You might shoot him a PM to get his impressions. He is one of our more experienced members here at AC.
Scott

mca · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 05:41 am »

Did you do the Mundorf/Vishay upgrade? If so, what do you think of it? Was it worth the money?

S Clark · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 05:49 am »

Quote from: mca on 13 Jan 2012, 05:41 am

Did you do the Mundorf/Vishay upgrade? If so, what do you think of it? Was it worth the money?

Yes, like it, and maybe. I had just bought it and it had some cold solder joint issues. George K, the previous owner, and I worked out a deal that made the upgrade cheaper for me. And, I only had it couple of weeks with it originally before I sent it off, so I hadn't really learned it's original sound that well.
I can say that I think I'm getting more detail and fuller bass. However, I don't know if I'd pay the list price that George is asking for the upgrade.

Scott

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 09:26 am »

Quote from: Gopher on 13 Jan 2012, 05:21 am

mca,

I have an Audion Premiere w/ phono that is outstanding for the money. Its a far better, more musical piece then the Shindo Auregies-L I owned before it (I've owned Shindo twice) and I believe it can hang with much costlier gear. Especially if you throw a quad of Amperex 7308 PQs in.

I think its design is based upon the four box Audion Quattro which many have dubbed the finest preamplifier on the planet. I've never heard a Quatro though...

Gopher- Does Soundsmith replace the stock Denon conical stylus with a line contact stylus? And what do they do with the cantilever, if anything? Thanks.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 12:45 pm »

I like preamps...
I currently own three.
Main is a Bryston BP-26
Also use a VAC Standard in that system as a glorified tube buffer for the digital
And then keep an Audio Research Sp-15 i really like around to use it's tubed phono section.

I used to own:
Adcom 750 (decent)
Counterpoint S2000 (sweet, and great when it was not BROKEN)
Hafler H110 (nicest preamp I owned back in the 80's)

I have also always wanted a Conrad Johnson preamp...

If you want warm, go for an old Conrad Johnson, or early tubed ARC.
BAT is nice..
If you want perfect clarity,
Bryston, Later Audio Research, Mark Levinson, Threshold
For cheap but nice: Forte F44 would be my recommendation

Lots of small manufacturers, but i do not like tiny builders.. Just my bias, Plenty of folks LOVE small manufacturers..

tomytoons · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 03:03 pm »

I have gone the opposite the last 2 years. No Pre to Integrated.

I had an MFA Magus 2B I loved. This is one nice musical Pre and the Phono was great too. Better than an Audible Illusion M3A I had too, but the AI M3A is still nice.
Unfortunately I sold the MFA, mistake!
If you can find one recapped and gone over it would be very nice.
If I ever go back to separates I would hunt one down. You don't see them come up very often. An MFA "Luminescence" is nice too, very rare but expen$ive.

mca · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:09 am »

Wow, I would have thought more people owned preamps...

roscoeiii · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:13 am »

Lots of us own preamps. For me, the Musical Fidelity kW preamp transformed my system. Oh the power supply in this thing. Check the Stereophile review.

hdspeakerman · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:16 am »

Audio Research SP3a - Very happy with it
Power supply rebuild by MJM

roscoeiii · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:17 am »

Auditioned the Dodd tube buffer, which was great for detail. But not the oomph and dynamics that the kW gives. To get the detail of a passive pre in an active you do need to spend for it. At lower prices it is more of an either/or proposition. Propulsion of an active or detail of a pasive. kW gives me both and more.

wilsynet · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:41 am »

TRL Dude is my favorite preamp. Although currently I have no need for a preamp -- the LFD integrated MkIV is immensely satisfying.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:50 am »

Hope to hear a TRL Dude one of these days for sure. It and the Atma-sphere preamps are ones I am dying to hear.

doug s. · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:56 am »

Quote from: mca on 14 Jan 2012, 03:09 am

Wow, I would have thought more people owned preamps...

my modded melos ma333r has been a mainstay in my system for ~13 years; i don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. it has been supplemented w/a diyparadise eva-2 ldr passive preamp, between the melos' outputs and my deqx x-over. an addition that not only rectified the somewhat spotty ergo's of the melos' remote control, but also increased dynamics and detail, amazingly enough. the eva-2's ldr attenuator is even more transparent than the exemplary melos pot, which is now run wide open...

i also own a really nice audio alchemy dlc/ps-3 and a creek obh-12. the a/a - a passive/active, is a fantastic little pre, and has been used in second systems. the obh-12, strictly passive, has been mainly used to do blind a-b tuna tests, run between the melos and two tuna...

doug s.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 03:58 am »

I liked that DLC too. One of my early preamp purchases.

bummrush · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 04:07 am »

Coda Windows 4,after 4,5 years with it could not be happier.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 04:16 am »

That Coda gear has always intrigued me too. Great rep.

SET Man · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 04:38 am »

Hey!

My first preamp was a Sonographe SC22 by Conrad Johnson. I bought it used back in the mid '90s. It was a pretty good sounding SS pre from my memory.

My second preamp of which I still have is a tubed Audio Note M1 Phono. I bought it new back in 1998. I remembered auditioning it against similar priced Conrad Johnson tubed pre of the time... I think it was PV** something. Anyway, I at the end walked out of the store with the Audio Note.

Although I did some parts upgrade on it like, ladder type attenuator, resistors, connectors, and caps. I've been using my Audio Note for 14 years now. I still enjoy it and don't really feel the need to change it anytime soon.

Take care,
Buddy

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 04:52 am »

I've had solid state preamps, tube preamps and no preamp. Went tube with my last preamp- a Manley Jumbo Shrimp - and never looked back. My preamp of choice is the last one I chose - a Manley Neo-Classic 300B. I recently re-tubed it and I am utterly blissed out with the result. Got off to a bit of a rough start but I'm thinking this is love...

D.D.