What tube pre-amps give the "Magic Midrange"?

Marbles · « **on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:08 pm »

What tube pre-amps give you that magic of tubes? I'd ask about amps as well, but I'd rather stick with pre-amps at this point.

Cost is not a consideration at this point, but it will be at some point I'm sure.

I'm not asking for the most accurate pre-amp, but the one that has that certain something...

Thanks for your suggestions..

Occam · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:33 pm »

Marbles -

Hugh Dean's Swift hybrid pre certainly give the special sumth'n sumth'n. IMO, it is also tremendously resolving. Aural memory being what it is, the only pre I've ever had in my system with that combo of 'magic' and resolution was the Klyne 7x, which the Swift clearly trumps in magic. Imaging and soundstaging to die for.

Its got remote control to boot! It makes me as happy as a pig in shit.....

mcgsxr · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:39 pm »

mgalusha built me up a custom Hagerman Clarinet - it makes really nice tunes in my estimation, and I recall that he had a few folks hear it on his end also.

Just a thought, and an AC company to boot.

MaxCast · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:47 pm »

I'd try to audition a Modwright pre. It seemed to get used a lot at RMAF

DARTH AUDIO · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:48 pm »

The deHaviland UltraVerve (sub the 6sn7 for the Mullard ECC32/CV181) then you are in Midrange Heaven!! That Mullard tube costs $200.00 and well worth every penny.

Also the dehaviland Mercury preamp. Heard it at the RMAF. Very nice in the midrange.

Hope this helps,

Gary

Marbles · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:48 pm »

Paul,

There's nothing on his website on this pre-amp..not that I could find..can you tell me more or point me to where I could find more info?

Is this a kit or a fully built model?

Pricing?

Thanks

The Clarinet might be pretty good as my phono pre is a Hagtec Cornet, thanks.

Thanks Gary and Max, more to look at.

Edit: Paul, I found it under GK-1

flintstone · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 03:53 pm »

Do some research into the Conrad Johnson line...color but still good. That said, after a while I think you'll find that it's better to let the tubes do the talking.

Dave

miklorsmith · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 04:24 pm »

The Modwright pre is fast, quiet and linear way outside hearing ranges. It does impart magic across the band, midrange included. It does not emphasize midrange or do midrange euphonics that SET aficionados and other tubehounds sometimes prefer. I think Dan said these preamps were in seven different rooms at RMAF. See this thread:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=21997

For delicious and more tubey sound, look to 6sn7 selections. The deHaviland line is big on these, as is Supratek. I don't think you could go wrong with either. From the stats I've seen, the 6sn7 tube has a higher noisefloor than Dan's design with the 5687's, but if you're not running really sensitive speakers that's probably moot.

byteme · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 04:32 pm »

I'll jump in on the deHavilland wagon. I've got the Ultraverve and love it. I didn't spring for the Mullard tube, but I did just pick up an NOS RCA VT-231 which is wonderful! The ONLY preamp I'd consider over this one is the Mercury, also by deHavilland. Kara knows what she's doing, all the reviews are right on.

Besides all this, it looks like $1MM!

Vtech2000 · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 05:28 pm »

One word of advice - for the money, do not foolishly ignore the ModWright Instruments SWL 9.0SE Linestage.

http://www.modwright.com/whats_new/index.php?story_id=45

http://6moons.com/audioreviews/modwright/swl9se.html

BobM · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 05:59 pm »

There's a certain magic that tubes seem to have over solid state. Our local club did a shoot out of some pre's recently and I think most agreed that the winner had a better presentation of inner harmonics. It was still clear, deliniated, extended, with good soundstaging, depth and imaging. But it had something else that made it sound more whole - and that was attributed to those inner harmonics I spoke of earlier.

The others had some variation of those other characteristics - some being too sharp and pristene but lacking the realness and palpability. Others were old world bloomy but lacked extension and detail in the top and bottom end. However, the room seemed to prefer that sound overall to the overly pristene preamps we heard.

It wasn't just old world tube bloom that made the winner stand out. Although that may certainly be part of it when you couple the bloom with the more accurate imaging and such of modern preamps.

Unfortunately the winner of our shootout is no longer manufactured and very hard to find used. It was the Audio Prism Mantissa (or a Red Rose Model3 after Mark Levinson bought their electronic line).

The others we compared were an old AR (forgot model # - rolled off but had that bloom all loved), a new VanAlstine (very pristene but lacking the bloom, almost solid state sounding), an older CAT (also very clinical sounding, surprise), a highly modded Copeland (somewhat of a middle ground but there was distortion I couldn't get past, perhaps bad soldering).

Good luck with your search. Lots to choose from and definitely lots to audition and hear before you decide.
Bob

flintstone · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Oct 2005, 07:13 pm »

I'll agree on the Mantissa Bob....I like mine a lot! Of course I didn't mention it in my response above because of the "quanity over quality" asked for in the thread.

Dave

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 04:09 am »

Rob,

Chris[/list:u]

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 10:48 am »

Mapletree provides tube warmth/imaging, but for substantially less than most the others here.

From my readings, the ModWright is not intended to provide an anywhere big portion of tube magic.

mgalusha · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 02:38 pm »

Another vote for the deHavilland Ultraverve. It somehow makes things sound very good.

Marbles · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 02:47 pm »

It looks like in about 2 months (when I hope to get my digital front end back together) I will have a chance to listen to the Modwright and the AKSA Swift (GK1)

Now I have to get ahold of an Ultraverve....

Thanks for all the suggestions.

art · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 03:17 pm »

If you ever find one, let me know. May be just the ticket to go with my amps.

Pat

Marbles · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 03:25 pm »

Here you go:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1132924507

I don't want to take a chance on it until I listen to one in my system.

byteme · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 03:33 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

Here you go:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1132924507

I don't want to take a chance on it until I listen to one in my system.

FYI, I got mine for $1400 shipped, no remote.

bluemike · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Oct 2005, 04:11 pm »

The mantissa pre amp is a "real sleeper"

i have sent mine to Brian Hawkins to get upgraded

In a word ...it was well worth it

I went all out and installed vcaps in the coupling postions
as well as other tweaks recommended by Brian

What I received back was a sota design that rivals some of the best pre amps out there