Is it possible to find a 'good' quality preamp with:
>remote
>decent phono stage (doesn't HAVE to be low output MC compatible, but it'd be nice)
>built-in headphone amp (not el cheapo op-amp driven)?
New or used. And not that relative price is necessarily an arbiter of quality, but for general frame of reference somewhere in the $1500-3000 range when new. Preferably tube-based, but this may unnecessarily limit an already-thin herd. Seems you can find any two of the three fairly readily, ...
the Kora Eclipse preamp does it all (triode tube preamp - remote - phono stage - built in triode headphone amp) + it has a bypass function so you can put it thru your HT system if you have one. It has also a separate power supply, adjustable output sensitivity, but it has only XLR output, no XLR input (
)
I have a Kora Eclipse, I find it pretty nice to look at and to hear at.
You can see a pic of it here
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/download.php?id=11779I cannot say much about it because it is my first stereo preamp, but what I can say is that my system is excellent (sorry to be so selfish) due do the many systems I have heard so far (not a ton but some) and to the pleasure I have understanding the music at home. So I guess it must be good at too.
bye
