[guest1632]

OK....thanks Ray.

I've heard the Greg Ball amp....Raver Hogg had/has one...brought it to a Rave.

Juicy Music is nice....more of a tube sound(now with remote).....as is the Mapletree (heard that at many Rave's....belongs to topround - nice pre !).

Another to consider....EE Minimax....you can play more with the tubes....not lean or over tubey....midway.

I've not heard the Transcend or AES preamps.

The SAS 10A....liked it...had it here.... midway type...good build quality.

My fav is the Modwright....used a good value.

If a remote is needed....would be the Juicy Music or Modwright from the above list.

                  Chris

Hi Chris,

What do you currently have?

Ray

[lonewolfny42]

Ray....
You can check with Bunky....he owns about 8 preamps.

I own....JM Blueberry...ARC SP-9mk II....Modwright....Philly Audio....Bent NOH.....I think thats all....
I use the Modwright the most....others are "wrapped up".

[guest1632]

Ray....
You can check with Bunky....he owns about 8 preamps.

I own....JM Blueberry...ARC SP-9mk II....Modwright....Philly Audio....Bent NOH.....I think thats all....
I use the Modwright the most....others are "wrapped up".

Hi, Well, you might want to contact Mark at Jucy Music and see if he'll upgrade your Blueberry for you. See if he'll change out the 6922 for a 6H30. He says it's a better tube. Maybe, also can upgrade the power supply a bit.

Ray

[lonewolfny42]

Ray....
You can check with Bunky....he owns about 8 preamps.

I own....JM Blueberry...ARC SP-9mk II....Modwright....Philly Audio....Bent NOH.....I think thats all....
I use the Modwright the most....others are "wrapped up".

Hi, Well, you might want to contact Mark at Jucy Music and see if he'll upgrade your Blueberry for you. See if he'll change out the 6922 for a 6H30. He says it's a better tube. Maybe, also can upgrade the power supply a bit.

Ray

I need to upgrade my Modwright as well Ray....

Good luck with your search....lots to pick from....and most are very good quality.

[guest1632]

FWIW http://www.transcendentsound.com
 The GG pre is an amazing performer!
                                                            Don

Hi Don,

So you have one of these Transcend Sound preamps?

Ray

[TerryO]

FWIW http://www.transcendentsound.com
 The GG pre is an amazing performer!
                                                            Don

Hi Don,

So you have one of these Transcend Sound preamps?

Ray

He does,  and I spent a number of hours listening to it at last summer's Vancouver Island DIY meet, which lasted day and night for three days.
It was the preferred front-end in the main system and hosted several amps and many, many different speakers. Very nice sound thru everything that it it played.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[rklein]

Hi Ray:

I would consider a SAS 10A (used).  I just upgraded from an Odyssey Tempest SS pre, which I ran for over a year and was very happy with.  However, I bought a used 10A from Meby and had it sent to Steve Sammet at SAS to put in a HT Bypass.  I have been listening now for about 2 weeks and it sounds very very good.  The 10A can be had for around $950 used.  Another consideration would be a SAS 7A pre.  I believe a new one runs around $750 or $795.  Steve's website is www.sasaudiolabs.com

rklein

[opnly bafld]

Hi Ray:

I would consider a SAS 10A (used).  I just upgraded from an Odyssey Tempest SS pre, which I ran for over a year and was very happy with.  However, I bought a used 10A from Meby and had it sent to Steve Sammet at SAS to put in a HT Bypass.  I have been listening now for about 2 weeks and it sounds very very good.  The 10A can be had for around $950 used.  Another consideration would be a SAS 7A pre.  I believe a new one runs around $750 or $795.  Steve's website is www.sasaudiolabs.com

rklein

I second the recommendations if you can live without a remote.
The 7A is $989.

Lin

[guest1632]

Hi Ray:

I would consider a SAS 10A (used).  I just upgraded from an Odyssey Tempest SS pre, which I ran for over a year and was very happy with.  However, I bought a used 10A from Meby and had it sent to Steve Sammet at SAS to put in a HT Bypass.  I have been listening now for about 2 weeks and it sounds very very good.  The 10A can be had for around $950 used.  Another consideration would be a SAS 7A pre.  I believe a new one runs around $750 or $795.  Steve's website is www.sasaudiolabs.com

rklein

Hi, I had a nice chat with Steve yesterday on the phone. Seems like a super guy. The 7A is not quite ready yet. When it does come thime, I'll probably look more towards the 10A. I don't want entry level stuff here. Not that it's bad or anything. Whatever I get, I'll be keeping this piece for a long while.

Ray

[Steidl Guitars]

Hi Ray,

I won't make a recommendation but I recently bought a Rogue 99 that I like and that is pretty well regarded.  I'm in Tucson, so you're welcome to come for a listen sometime or even to take it home for an afternoon if you'd like to try it out in your own system.  If the Rogue is a pre-amp you'd consider (used they go from $1,000-$1,300), drop me a PM sometime.

Here I've got a Rogue amp, MF A5 CDP, and Dali Helicon 400s. 

Good luck with your hunt!

Bob

[opnly bafld]

Hi Ray:

I would consider a SAS 10A (used).  I just upgraded from an Odyssey Tempest SS pre, which I ran for over a year and was very happy with.  However, I bought a used 10A from Meby and had it sent to Steve Sammet at SAS to put in a HT Bypass.  I have been listening now for about 2 weeks and it sounds very very good.  The 10A can be had for around $950 used.  Another consideration would be a SAS 7A pre.  I believe a new one runs around $750 or $795.  Steve's website is www.sasaudiolabs.com

rklein

Hi, I had a nice chat with Steve yesterday on the phone. Seems like a super guy. The 7A is not quite ready yet. When it does come thime, I'll probably look more towards the 10A. I don't want entry level stuff here. Not that it's bad or anything. Whatever I get, I'll be keeping this piece for a long while.

Ray

I have used a 10A for several years and have heard the 7A, IMHO, either way you can't go wrong if you are looking for accuracy.

Lin

[guest1632]

Hi Ray,

I won't make a recommendation but I recently bought a Rogue 99 that I like and that is pretty well regarded.  I'm in Tucson, so you're welcome to come for a listen sometime or even to take it home for an afternoon if you'd like to try it out in your own system.  If the Rogue is a pre-amp you'd consider (used they go from $1,000-$1,300), drop me a PM sometime.

Here I've got a Rogue amp, MF A5 CDP, and Dali Helicon 400s. 

Good luck with your hunt!

Bob

Hi Bob,

hmmm, sounds really good. If anyone wants to talk to me about this, go ahead and call me 520 444-5514. This email stuff is to slow. heheh.

Ray

[guest1632]

Hi Ray:

I would consider a SAS 10A (used).  I just upgraded from an Odyssey Tempest SS pre, which I ran for over a year and was very happy with.  However, I bought a used 10A from Meby and had it sent to Steve Sammet at SAS to put in a HT Bypass.  I have been listening now for about 2 weeks and it sounds very very good.  The 10A can be had for around $950 used.  Another consideration would be a SAS 7A pre.  I believe a new one runs around $750 or $795.  Steve's website is www.sasaudiolabs.com

rklein

Hi, I had a nice chat with Steve yesterday on the phone. Seems like a super guy. The 7A is not quite ready yet. When it does come thime, I'll probably look more towards the 10A. I don't want entry level stuff here. Not that it's bad or anything. Whatever I get, I'll be keeping this piece for a long while.

Ray

I have used a 10A for several years and have heard the 7A, IMHO, either way you can't go wrong if you are looking for accuracy.

Lin

Hi Lin,

When you heard the 7A, what do you think was lost versus the 10A?

Ray

[bunky]

Hey Ray,I have a recently upgraded SAS 10A that i am using in my tube powered Rig. It was brought up to the latest specs by my friend Steve Sammet @ SAS Audio Labs and i like it very! very !much .i also own a Odyssey Candela tube preamp that sounds fantastic using a pair of Amperex ECC186/7316's in my SS powered Rig both are fast,musical linestages but the nod goes to the 10A as being the more neutral of these two preamplifiers.good luck in your search....WCW III

[Lyndon]

I am envious every time Chris starts to mention his vault of gear.
I have been using a version of the Grounded Grid for 2 years in my main system, and find it very fast and clean. 
That said, a current project is this 12b4 linestage.  A long time in the building process.  When finished it will have a remote
control, acquired from Denmark, and I am using a gas-regulated power supply.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68267&highlight=

Bare Bones 12b4 linestage
http://diyparadise.com/etude.html

Of course, you could always opt to not do it diy, but I think this would be a bit over your budget.
http://www.emotiveaudio.com/epifania_info.htm

[guest1632]

Hey Ray,I have a recently upgraded SAS 10A that i am using in my tube powered Rig. It was brought up to the latest specs by my friend Steve Sammet @ SAS Audio Labs and i like it very! very !much .i also own a Odyssey Candela tube preamp that sounds fantastic using a pair of Amperex ECC186/7316's in my SS powered Rig both are fast,musical linestages but the nod goes to the 10A as being the more neutral of these two preamplifiers.good luck in your search....WCW III

Hey Bunky,

I was tole to talk to you. You're the guy with 8 preamps. heheh. The 10A sure sounds good. Steve and I had a long chat yesterday. Really nice guy

So what others do you have in your collection? That Candela is interesting how you can roll so many ttubes in it.

Ray

[bunky]

Hey Ray, i also have a BAT VK3i tube pre and a Anthem Pre 1L tube pre and four other solid state preamps and i did have a Anthem TLP1 SS preamp that i returned to a local brick and mortar audio dealer. i have owned nine preamps total but i am only using two at the moment

[guest1632]

I am envious every time Chris starts to mention his vault of gear.
I have been using a version of the Grounded Grid for 2 years in my main system, and find it very fast and clean. 
That said, a current project is this 12b4 linestage.  A long time in the building process.  When finished it will have a remote
control, acquired from Denmark, and I am using a gas-regulated power supply.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68267&highlight=

Bare Bones 12b4 linestage
http://diyparadise.com/etude.html

Of course, you could always opt to not do it diy, but I think this would be a bit over your budget.
http://www.emotiveaudio.com/epifania_info.htm

Hi Lyndon,

Wow! what a ripoff. $16.000 for a preamp. no, don't think so. I wonder can't the box for the GGp be used for the 12B4 amp?

Well, gotta start somewhere. I don't have the skills to building one of these preamps. Soldering isn't really the issue here. The high voltage is. So I'd rather pay someone else to build it for me, but not $16,000 thank you.

Ray Bronk

[guest1632]

I am envious every time Chris starts to mention his vault of gear.
I have been using a version of the Grounded Grid for 2 years in my main system, and find it very fast and clean. 
That said, a current project is this 12b4 linestage.  A long time in the building process.  When finished it will have a remote
control, acquired from Denmark, and I am using a gas-regulated power supply.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68267&highlight=

Bare Bones 12b4 linestage
http://diyparadise.com/etude.html

Of course, you could always opt to not do it diy, but I think this would be a bit over your budget.
http://www.emotiveaudio.com/epifania_info.htm

Hi Lyndon,

So how's that 12B4 pre coming along? I read on www.paradise.com about changing out those 12AU7, in favor of 6688's. There's a schematic on the download page.

Regards,
Ray

[tanchiro58]

I am using the Promitheus Apollo preamp with C-core OTPs (version 6922s) and sometimes swapping with this new product preamp using two 8608/8233 output tubes and one GZ34/U52/5U4 rectifier. The picture shows the prototype one. It has >40dB and low impedances.