[denjo]

Fellow CIAudio VMB-1/D100/D200 Owners

It would be interesting to share what preamplifier is connected to your CIAudio amplifier. Please also state Low/High gain, RCA/XLR. Are you happy with the setup and what preamplifier might you upgrade to?

My D200 Low Gain/XLR is connected to a Bent NOH passive (soon to upgrade to Bent TAP). Excellent transparency. I have also tried McCormack ALD-1 Rev A Gold and ModWright 9.0 SE but felt the passive worked better for me.

Would like to try the EE Minimax Linestage preamp.

[ohlins]

low gain d100 fed by adcom gfp-750 XLR......preamp can be used as active or passive.

[HAL]

Low gain balanced D-200 with a Pass Labs Aleph P preamp.

[mfsoa]

Trusty old Forte Model 40 w/ phono stage into low gain D-200s (XLR w/ Neutric adapters for RCAs), which is why I've been thinking about new preamps a lot lately.
I've expecially been debating active vs. buffered no-gain. I tried running  my CDP direct into the amps using the first few minutes of Debussy's La Mer, and while far from deafeaning was definetely louder than I would ever play through my preamp.  So I have enough gain, which is making the Superphon Revelation III seem like an interesting proposition.
Also, I counted the volume detents (12 out of a total of 31 detents) that it took me to get to "Really Loud" in my room w/ the Forte, so I can barely go 1/3 of the way up the dial - Who needs all that gain?
But for phono replay (2.5mV moving coil) I do have to have the volume up to 1/2 way to get similar volume.
So I think the Superphon buffered pre (anyone heard it?) would work fine for me as long as I match w/ a phono pre with enough oomph. But it's nice to know that we can up the gain of the D-200s if needed!
Is it true that buffered gain-less doesn't loose bass impact the way that passives are said to do?

Thanks. Any opinions esp. on the Modwright, Superphon or new Dodd battery unit appreciated.

[mike_c]

VMB-1's with CIAudio's passive VPC-2. Sounds very good, but...can't help but wonder how much better the D-100/200 might sound! I would like to add a tubed pre in front of these amps but there is almost too much gain as is. I usually don't go past 1/4 turn, and never go past 1/2 turn. I will probably replace the VPC-2 with the new remote-controlled passive Dusty is currently working on whenever it becomes available. And, at some point in the future, would like to hear the D-100/200's (low gain) with a tubed pre in front of them.

[chadh]

I'm in a similar position to Mike_c.

I was using my VMB-1s with a Sugden headmaster pre-amp.  This set-up had loads and loads of gain, so I added some attenuators on the input into the amps simply to get some control over volume.  Recently I decided to take the headmaster out of the chain, and now rely on the digital volume control on my (stock) SB2.  It's certainly a cleaner experience, but not without an ocassional drawback.  It can still play louder than I would ever listen, but the most amazing thing is that, even when cranked to louder volumes than I would ever use, the system sounds clear and articulate.  Like Mike, though, I'm planning on adding a tubed pre-amp to the mix - probably a relatively low gain 6sn7-based unit from Space Tech Labs (which should help when I get my SB2 modified, and the voltage output roughly halves).

Chad

[JLM]

Me too (Mike & Chad),

I'm running 89 dB/w/m nearfield in a 2,200 cubic foot room with a modded Squeeze Box (1.09 volt output) via VMB-1 monoblocks.  I'm also looking into adding a tubed pre-amp.

From what I've gleaned a nice blend of speed, detail, image fullness, and tube warmth would be 5687 tubes in a SRPP circuit with about 6 dB of gain.

[chadh]

I hope you'll excuse the brief hijacking...

JLM,

What speakers are you using?

Chad

[JLM]

chadh, you have PM.