[Sam-fi]

I was hoping to score a balanced tube preamp for around $800 or less? (Just to state a sound preference for my current application) Neutral, analytical, a little dark, and unforced.

Really I just need balanced outputs - so maybe a transformer output option will work.

I currently love my Transcendent Grounded Grid so I'm wondering if someone could mod it for me with balanced output transformers? Any reputable people I could do business with?
Is there anything with balanced output that competes with the Trancendent GG for around $800?

Thanks,
Sam

[Sam-fi]

No thoughts?

[wilsynet]

I am not aware of any reputable balanced tube preamps for $800 or less.  You may want to ask yourself why balanced is important to you.

[medium jim]

I personally prefer unbalanced old school RCA's and use dual mono volume controls.

Jim

P.S.

I agree, it would be damn near impossible to find a balanced pre at the price noted by the OP.

[wilsynet]

I have a balanced pre, a Coincident Statement Linestage, but it was more by circumstance than deliberate planning.

I ended up with a pair of Hypex NC400 which run better with balanced inputs than single ended.  I also ended up with the NAD M51 DAC which also has balanced outputs (along with RCA outputs too).  I was happy enough to get a single ended preamp and use adapters appropriately.  It just turns out the CSL is balanced too.  Doubt that Coincident thinks balanced is very important or else their amplifiers would be balanced too, but they're not.

But all other things being equal, balanced is going to
cost you more and even the theoretical advantage for home systems with comparatively short runs is uncertain at best.

If one insists on balanced, count on paying more.  And for anything less than $3000, you have to wonder if that's money well spent.  The tier where balanced is available is pretty high, and anyone who's doing it at the lower tier, you have to wonder what compromised have been made.

For this range of price, balanced doesn't make sense.

[avahifi]

I will try and explain the BS about balanced line for home audio one more time.

There are two ways to do balanced line equipment.  The right way is to maintain four separate internal audio electronic channels, left plus, left minus, right plus, and right minus.  This costs essentially twice as much as single ended equipment, and for a vacuum tube preamp the real estate needed would be huge.

The cheap and dirty way is to add additional circuits at the input and outputs of the normal internal two single ended circuits to convert the balanced line signals back to single ended for internal use and then to convert singled ended to balanced out.  This simply adds additional circuits to your unit doing absolutely no good for you at all.

Balanced line is nice for low level mic signals in an electrically noisy live stage environment or in a studio chock fulla equipment because it can cancel common mode noise.

Note since balanced line will increase the signal level by 6dB, and because almost all will judge louder is better, much of the appeal for balanced line is because it makes everything a bit louder.

However, technically and logically it useless for home audio, just another fancy catch phrase that makes the equipment more expensive.

Frank Van Alstine

[medium jim]

I will try and explain the BS about balanced line for home audio one more time.

There are two ways to do balanced line equipment.  The right way is to maintain four separate internal audio electronic channels, left plus, left minus, right plus, and right minus.  This costs essentially twice as much as single ended equipment, and for a vacuum tube preamp the real estate needed would be huge.

The cheap and dirty way is to add additional circuits at the input and outputs of the normal internal two single ended circuits to convert the balanced line signals back to single ended for internal use and then to convert singled ended to balanced out.  This simply adds additional circuits to your unit doing absolutely no good for you at all.

Balanced line is nice for low level mic signals in an electrically noisy live stage environment or in a studio chock fulla equipment because it can cancel common mode noise.

Note since balanced line will increase the signal level by 6dB, and because almost all will judge louder is better, much of the appeal for balanced line is because it makes everything a big louder.

However, technically and logically it useless for home audio, just another fancy catch phrase that makes the equipment more expensive.

Frank Van Alstine

+1

Jim

[neekomax]

Bumping this thread so I don't have to start a new one...

I'm looking for recommendations on full tube preamps in this price range, probably used. My amp is solid state, don't care about balanced connections.

Any faves? Remote preferred, but I'll sacrifice if the pre is good enough value.

[WC]

There are a couple of DIY tube preamps in the under $800 range.

http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent/Transcendent_Sound_Grounded_Grid_Preamp.html

http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php/products/quickie-battery-tube-preamplifier

If you can find one used, a SAS 10A would be a good choice. Some have sold here recently for around $800.

[Ericus Rex]

Bumping this thread so I don't have to start a new one...

I'm looking for recommendations on full tube preamps in this price range, probably used. My amp is solid state, don't care about balanced connections.

Any faves? Remote preferred, but I'll sacrifice if the pre is good enough value.

Lots of options for a tube preamp under $800 but the remote option will lower the pool quite a bit.  The first one that comes to mind is a Rogue Audio Metis.  It uses the 6SN7 tube, which I think sounds wonderful for preamps, and has phono and headphone stage + remote.  The second is........well, I'll have to think about a second.  I'm sure there are lots of chinese options, if you're into that.

[Steve]

I will try and explain the BS about balanced line for home audio one more time.

There are two ways to do balanced line equipment.  The right way is to maintain four separate internal audio electronic channels, left plus, left minus, right plus, and right minus.  This costs essentially twice as much as single ended equipment, and for a vacuum tube preamp the real estate needed would be huge.

The cheap and dirty way is to add additional circuits at the input and outputs of the normal internal two single ended circuits to convert the balanced line signals back to single ended for internal use and then to convert singled ended to balanced out.  This simply adds additional circuits to your unit doing absolutely no good for you at all.

Balanced line is nice for low level mic signals in an electrically noisy live stage environment or in a studio chock fulla equipment because it can cancel common mode noise.

Note since balanced line will increase the signal level by 6dB, and because almost all will judge louder is better, much of the appeal for balanced line is because it makes everything a bit louder.

However, technically and logically it useless for home audio, just another fancy catch phrase that makes the equipment more expensive.

Frank Van Alstine

+1. 

[wilsynet]

The Rogue Metis is $1495 new I believe.

For $2000 and less, I think the Transcendent Grounded Grid is stupid good.  $495 as a kit, and $899 fully assembled.

[Ericus Rex]

The Rogue Metis is $1495 new I believe.

For $2000 and less, I think the Transcendent Grounded Grid is stupid good.  $495 as a kit, and $899 fully assembled.

You can find a used Metis for under $800.  The GG pre doesn't have remote.  Tricky, eh!