Modwright 9.0 Anniversary pre owners thread

Longandstraight · « **on:** 7 Dec 2016, 06:21 pm »

Would like to get a few owners impressions of this pre. Very little chatter out there. I have had the pre from the beginning but would like to connect with other owners and share their experiences.
Anybody else?
Russ

hifinutt · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Feb 2017, 10:07 pm »

what do you think of it . I may have one to try while mine away for repair

hifinutt · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Apr 2017, 12:58 pm »

well got one of these amps to try . beautiful build and pretty heavy . knobs have a lovely feel to it and if it cost double i would not be surprised .

be interesting to hear how it sounds

hifinutt · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Apr 2017, 01:04 pm »

got one of these in situ currently . using with a ss class A power amp and bel canto vbs dac 3.5 and verity audio Rienzi speakers .using a very modest onkyo sacd player

this is the blurb on this valve pre which is exceptionally well priced at £3450 I believe

Celebrating our 17th year in business, the SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition tube linestage is a tribute to our first product, the SWL 9.0SE.

The namesake of Dan Wrights son, Spencer Wright, born 9.0lb at birth, the SWL 9.0SE was released thirteen years ago with great success as a high performance and high value tube linestage.

The SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition retains the 5687 driver tube and many of its features, but is a complete redesign from the original.

Unlike the original, the Anniversary Edition includes a modern headphone amplifier and optional phono stage.

Features:
•Four sets of RCA inputs, one of which doubles as Home Theater Bypass.

•Two sets of RCA Main Outputs.
•One set of RCA Tape Outputs.
Front panel controls: Power, volume, mute, input select, HT/BP select, headphone input.
•Hybrid headphone amp: 1.5 Watts (25 ohm to 600 ohm load)
•MWI remote: Volume and mute.
•Optional MM/High Output MC SS phono stage

http://www.modwright.com/products/sw...ry-edition.php

it feels really heavy and built like a brickhouse . it has a plastic remote unlike the metal of higher models but its good quality and does the job well . theatre bypass is so good to integrate with your AV system

two great big knobs for volume and selection feel really well made and real quality , the ergonomics of this pre are beautiful . lovely to use

very natural timbre and sound and very relaxing . its less resolving than the 36.5 and 36.5 dm [2 box ] but still is very enjoyable . it does not shake the chair like the grandinote proemio pre but its still very acceptable . piano is well reproduced and you could listen to this thing for hours without a hunt of fatigue . tubular bells have a nice ring

how dan modwright has done this at such a good price is remarkable .

hifinutt · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Apr 2017, 07:10 pm »

i once had a puresound L10 and it was very musical indeed . very balanced and made you want to listen more . this anniversary version reminds me of that L10 . bells are lovely , in fact it seems to have improved a fair old bit since I got it in the system at the weekend .

playing faber , a very dreamy electronica which lots of bells and vocals , its sounds rather delicious

http://www.mellowjet.de/index.php?ma...roducts_id=443

Yomaha · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Sep 2018, 02:32 am »

Has anyone heard a 9.0 Annv. Ed. With a tube recitified mod?

Yomaha · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Nov 2018, 02:05 am »

Does anyone experience a loud hum when powering on? I don't know if its the volume knob turning itself down on startup, but it's a very audible hum and some occasional crackle. It seems to run pretty quiet thereafter.

Also, I have my volume knob typically at 12 o'clock. On my previous SS preamp, the knob rarely went past 9:30. Again, just curious as to why that is, or is that normal, etc? The preamp is very musical in my set up and has an excellent low end and warmth IMHO.

mtodde · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Dec 2018, 03:13 pm »

I used one with an Audio Research VS115 power amp for a couple of years and really liked the combination. From memory the combo was better than the SWLP 9.0 ARC VT-100 Mk II I had about 10 years ago. It's a pretty transparent line stage. Vocals and piano sounded very natural.

I've since moved to an ARC LS27 and Ref75 combo, but just ordered a PH 9.0 to replace my Chinook.

At price point the 9.0 Anniversary is going to be tough to beat. You can tube roll some which can help to tailor the sounds to your taste a bit, but it's excellent and natural sounding with the stock tubes.

Sam-fi · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 May 2019, 02:13 am »

I'm about to receive one of these tomorrow that I bought from a fellow audiocircle member, I'm going to be swapping for some vintage bryston gear

I'll post some impressions here very soon.

eichlerera1 · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 May 2019, 04:43 am »

Sam,
I've owned one of these pups for a couple of years and love it!
Let me know what brand 5687 tube is installed and perhaps I can give some limited tube rolling advice.

Paul Galli

Yomaha · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 May 2019, 07:25 pm »

Quote from: eichlerera1 on 2 May 2019, 04:43 am

Sam,
I've owned one of these pups for a couple of years and love it!
Let me know what brand 5687 tube is installed and perhaps I can give some limited tube rolling advice.

Paul Galli

Paul,

I have the PHILIPS HOLLAND "SQ" E182CC / 7119 in mine. I put those in right when I got the pre, so I don't really have much to compare against. I also have the tube rectifier mod in mine. Would be curious to hear about your tube rolling experiences.

KS

eichlerera1 · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Aug 2019, 03:39 pm »

Quote from: Yomaha on 24 May 2019, 07:25 pm

Paul,

I have the PHILIPS HOLLAND "SQ" E182CC / 7119 in mine. I put those in right when I got the pre, so I don't really have much to compare against. I also have the tube rectifier mod in mine. Would be curious to hear about your tube rolling experiences.

KS

Sorry. I missed this post.
After trying various tubes in this Preamp, I settled on the Amperex 7119 "Pinched Waist" version.
Fantastic detailed (but not etched) sound.
Great tight bass and extended highs.

Tried the RCA, 1960s Tungsol "Black Plate", Sylvania "Gold Brand", and the GE "5 Star".
While each was fine in their own ways, none could beat the overall, complete sound of the Amperex.

Paul Galli

Yomaha · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Aug 2019, 05:26 pm »

no worries - thank you! I've been feeling a touch of fatigue from the mids / high mids lately. I was looking for a tube a little on the warmer side. Did any of those tubes you mentioned have a noticeably warmer sound? I feel like I've got a lot of detail from the rest of my set up, so I've been thinking about adding a touch of tube warmth.

Yomaha · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Aug 2019, 05:28 pm »

Paul - looks like we've got a similar convo going in two threads..oops.

eichlerera1 · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Aug 2019, 04:31 am »

Quote from: Yomaha on 21 Aug 2019, 05:26 pm

no worries - thank you! I've been feeling a touch of fatigue from the mids / high mids lately. I was looking for a tube a little on the warmer side. Did any of those tubes you mentioned have a noticeably warmer sound? I feel like I've got a lot of detail from the rest of my set up, so I've been thinking about adding a touch of tube warmth.

The 5687 Tube is more of a industrial/military type of tube.
They pretty much have a detailed, ruthlessly flat, accurate sound profile.
It will reflect whatever source component is inputed into it.
If you don't have a tube modded CD player, it may reflect a little hardness into the Preamp.
I don't have a tube rectifier in mine which would tend to soften the sound a tad.
But I DO have Dan's latest Pioneer Tube modded CD player (Also Amperex powered).

What specifically is your source? Turntable or CD?

Paul Galli

Yomaha · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Aug 2019, 05:03 pm »

Source is PS Audio DSD Sr DAC. I realllly enjoy that DAC. I have a VPI Cliffwood turntable and the modwright phono card, and I usually prefer the sound of the DAC. I don't have the funds RN to really dive into the vinyl world...one day I will, but not now.

In the SWL 9.0 I have the rectifier tube mod with a Mullard metal base gz34. Are you aware if its compatible with other rectifiers? I have had a 1950's Western Electric 422a and a Philip 5R4GYS, among others.

Since I've changed out those noisy tubes and back to the stock 5687's, the sound has been much better, though I'd still like to warm it up a hair. I have some other tubes that I can roll thru my BHK250, but I'm trying to isolate variables and just change one thing at a time.

I also have everything plugged into a new PS Audio Stellar Regenerator. I have serious voltage swings in my neighborhood during the summer, and the regen has smoothed that out a great deal.

Rusty Jefferson · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Aug 2019, 06:10 pm »

Consider trying the RCA 5r4. I rectifier rolled an Elyse dac recently, including 2 rectifiers you mentioned trying. The RCA easily bested the Mullard/Phillips, and is not expensive. Enormous soundstage. Never tried one in a Modwright preamp, however. I assume since you have a 5r4, it's fine. Worth checking though.

Sailorboy · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Aug 2019, 07:35 pm »

Hello Sam-fi and other.
I was wondering if you would care to comment on the sound characteristics of your 100se and SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition.
I also have the 100se amplifier and have been looking for a preamp to match it. I have tried the LS100 and found it was too noisey and a little to much on the warm side. I have also heard the LS36.5 and find the detail delivery a bit to analytical.

So I am wondering where in the Modwright preamp spectrum of sound the 9.0 AE fits, and if it would suit my needs, so would really appreciate your findings with this amp/preamp pairing.

By the way what speakers are you using?

Regards
Colin

eichlerera1 · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Aug 2019, 05:26 am »

Quote from: Sailorboy on 30 Aug 2019, 07:35 pm

Hello Sam-fi and other.
I was wondering if you would care to comment on the sound characteristics of your 100se and SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition.
I also have the 100se amplifier and have been looking for a preamp to match it. I have tried the LS100 and found it was too noisey and a little to much on the warm side. I have also heard the LS36.5 and find the detail delivery a bit to analytical.

So I am wondering where in the Modwright preamp spectrum of sound the 9.0 AE fits, and if it would suit my needs, so would really appreciate your findings with this amp/preamp pairing.

By the way what speakers are you using?

Regards
Colin

Colin,
I have used the ModWright Anniversary Preamp for a couple of years now.
Although it has fine detail, the sound is not etched.
It is very sensitive to tube rolling it's two output tubes.
There are a wide variety of the 5687/6900/7119 family tubes to choose from.
It is possible to find just the right tube to get the sound you're after.
I settled on the Amperex 7119 circa late 1950s.
The preamp is quiet with a balanced sound throughout the frequency spectrum.
HIGHLY recommended and an outright bargain!

Paul Galli

Sailorboy · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Sep 2019, 04:52 am »

Hi Paul, thanks for the info.
Unfortunately I am not able to hear the 9.0AE in my system before purchase, so I am judging the sound on the 36.5 preamp which I have heard. I understand the sound is closer to that preamp (using the production tubes) than the L100.

Kind regards
Colin