[Wind Chaser]

I'm so impressed with your little amps I go to thinking, why not apply this technology upstream?

[smargo]

 

I'm so impressed with your little amps I go to thinking, why not apply this technology upstream?

what preamp are you using currently - curious?

[Wind Chaser]

what preamp are you using currently - curious?

Nuprime DAC-10.  One of the reasons I chose this was because it integrates the DAC with the preamp.  However given how incredible the Maraschinos sound, why not incorporate that same technology in a preamp DAC combo?  I bet it has the potential to sound much better any tube counterpart.   

[AmpDesigner333]

Nuprime DAC-10.  One of the reasons I chose this was because it integrates the DAC with the preamp.  However given how incredible the Maraschinos sound, why not incorporate that same technology in a preamp DAC combo?  I bet it has the potential to sound much better any tube counterpart.   

Here is an elegant, short signal path, audio performance based DAC.  There are two versions, High-Spec (HS) and Tube-Like (TL).  HS performance is 124dB, 0.0004% THD.  The TL provides 120dB, the shortest signal path output stage, and is the only "tube-like" output stage emulation on the market.  Info on our web site:
http://www.cherryamp.com/dac-dac-d-to-a-convertor

Some more info from users of these DACs here on Audio Circle:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=138311.0

[AmpDesigner333]

I'm so impressed with your little amps I go to thinking, why not apply this technology upstream?

Under consideration!

That reminds me....  Thought I should mention our popular STM (Stereo Maraschino).  It provides two inputs and a volume control.

Some STM info:
http://www.cherryamp.com/stereo-maraschino-stm

....and here:
http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/stereo-maraschino-amplifier

....and it won the Stereo Times Most Wanted Component Award in 2016:
http://v2.stereotimes.com/page/most-wanted-2016





Thanks for the compliment.

-Tommy O

[dburna]

....and here:
http://www.stereotimes.com/post/digital-amplifier-co.-maraschino-cherry-amplifier

....and it won the Stereo Times Most Wanted Component Award in 2016:
http://www.stereotimes.com/page/most-wanted-2016

Tommy, I think Stereo Times has updated their web site.  I believe their address is now www.v2.stereotimes.com.  At least that's what works for me.  When I try to click on the above links directly I get an unresolved address.

Regards,  -dB

[AmpDesigner333]

Tommy, I think Stereo Times has updated their web site.  I believe their address is now www.v2.stereotimes.com.  At least that's what works for me.  When I try to click on the above links directly I get an unresolved address.

Regards,  -dB

Fixed the links.  Thanks for the head's up!

[mfsoa]

That Stereo Maraschino is hella fun. If you only need one input it's just superb.

I've lived with one for a few months with a 60V supply. I think Tommy's got a linear supply available now.

My friend  uses one in his Manhatten apt, fed by an Oppo 205 and powering Von Schweickert VR4JRs. Sounds great.

[AmpDesigner333]

Ok, let's make some decisions about this product!  The pieces are in place.  We can do analog or digital volume, whatever number of inputs, analog and/or digital, and outputs in both RCA and XLR.  This will be a 2-channel thing, at least the first one.

Please help out by answering these quick questions....

1. How many inputs?
2. What type of inputs?
3. Ideal price point?  Please don't say "zero" 
4. Digital or analog volume?

That should be enough to get us started.  Thanks for participating.

-Tommy O

[opnly bafld]

Remote control?

[Wind Chaser]

Ok, let's make some decisions about this product!

Are we talking strictly about a line stage / control center or a DAC preamp combo?

And a very definite big yes to a remote, but something of quality, not a disposable piece of plastic.

[poseidonsvoice]

And a very definite big yes to a remote, but something of quality, not a disposable piece of plastic.

http://www.bentaudio.com/index2.html

Best,
Anand.

[smargo]

Ok, let's make some decisions about this product!  The pieces are in place.  We can do analog or digital volume, whatever number of inputs, analog and/or digital, and outputs in both RCA and XLR.  This will be a 2-channel thing, at least the first one.

Please help out by answering these quick questions....

1. How many inputs?
2. What type of inputs?
3. Ideal price point?  Please don't say "zero" 
4. Digital or analog volume?

That should be enough to get us started.  Thanks for participating.

-Tommy O

1. 5 inputs and 1 subwoofer out

2. 2 balanced and 5 rca's

3. $700 to $1000

4. digital volume control

5. remote (a must)

[AmpDesigner333]

1. 5 inputs and 1 subwoofer out

2. 2 balanced and 5 rca's

3. $700 to $1000

4. digital volume control

5. remote (a must)

Thanks for your answers!

[AKLegal]

Home theater pass through or at least a custom option for one.

[Jonathon Janusz]

Would it be the right idea to build in a DAC DAC and USB/SPDIF digital input options?  The biggest question these days about bundling a DAC into a preamp seems to be the speed at which DACs are coming out and people change them up.  If the system isn't built modularly such that a DAC can be swapped out easily, even a top-shelf DAC today built in can end up a waste of back panel connector space and unused with tomorrow's newest wonder DAC.  My opinion, as little as it matters, is with the quality to value ratio the DAC DAC and the USB converter have, I think packing them into the case (along with the associated shortening/optimizing of the signal paths even further than today's separate boxed solutions) is a good idea, even if at some point later a customer relegates the DAC section to being a "backup DAC" to whatever newest external DAC gets connected to the preamp.

With digital input capability, two or three analog inputs would probably be enough.

Would sound quality suffer if all the analog inputs/outputs were balanced, with the option of adding RCA-XLR adapters rather than SE/RCA I/O - this seems to be the standard setup for your existing gear?

I think having three sets of outputs standard would be a differentiating feature; good for biamp/triamp setups as well as swarms of subs, something that preamps with at most two outputs fall short on.  Again, best sound quality going all balanced with adapters as needed?

I think in a dedicated, two-channel preamp, I agree with others that a quality remote is a good thing; power/standby, mute, volume controls, source select would be nice but maybe unnecessary considering alternate analog sources are generally devices one has to get out of the chair to set up and use (reel-to-reel, vinyl, even "old fashoned" cd players; anything using physical media really).

I'm thinking something fairly simple (basic analog in/out, minimal number of inputs and outputs) coming in around $1000 as a solid sonic bang for the buck feels about right price-wise.  If you could pack along top-shelf digital input/output and a balanced circuit design for under $2K I think you could turn some heads.  I guess pricing depends on what your vision for your company really is and what you want people to see you as - do you want DAC to trade punches with value leaders at the $10K and under total system crowd (thinking Odyssey here on AC as an example), or do you want to aim more at the high end of the market?

[Early B.]

Keep it simple -- no remote because it significantly drives up cost if done right and if a good quality remote is included (not that plastic crap).

Two inputs, two outputs, one of each is balanced.

$799 price point. At this price, if the preamp blows your customer away, he'll be much more likely to purchase the Cherry amps shortly thereafter.
 

[mboxler]

Sorry if this is OT, and I'm pretty sure this would require an integrated amp due to EMI and such, but...

Will the industry eventually go the route of converting any type of input to PWM and then feeding that signal directly into a PWM amplifier?
In other words...analog/pcm/???--->pwm--->PWM--->filter--->speaker.

Just curious.

Mike

[Shear Bliss VMPS]

You people are dreaming if you think Tommy or anyone else can bring a quality class D preamp to fruitation at the prices mentioned here, just not possible. Also if it doesn't offer remote for attenuation with LED readouts would not be for me. Probably why I still run a Classe CP-35 preamp with great results and sound, even my tube Audio Mirror T-61 offers remote attenuation.

[AmpDesigner333]

Time to address the elephant in the room....  It's a preamp, probably analog and digital input.  Not Class-D.  The amps, if integrated, like the Stereo Maraschino, would be Class-D, however.

This device is almost 100% sure to have an FPGA running the show.

Regarding "direct digital" amps (PCM -> PWM, etc.).  Been there, done that.  The price goes way up (to facilitate super fancy components required for great audio performance with that topology), or the performance (measured audio wise) goes down.

Thanks as always (: