[mcullinan]

I has my Supratek Sauvignon in the shop for a couple weeks and replaced it with an old ADCOM GTP-350 Tuner Preamplifier...
I still listened to music, but that magic was gone! So after 2 weeks I get the Supratek back and all of a sudden the sound is lifelike, Extended, dynamic... detailed. Seperate and not all squished together.. Tons of airy glow!!!
Anyways I know the Adcom is poo poo, and has no tubes. But the Supratek is something really special.

I know Mick said that Supratek is out of business, but I believe you can still by the preamps/amps from him, but they are built and you have to kind of pick what he has... I could be wrong though.. His email --> supra@supratek.biz

Also the repair place was great... They are on Long Island -->stereorepair@optonline.net
Site: http://www.stereorepair.net
Just as a resource and that they did a good fix is why Im posting their info.
Mike

[Stu Pitt]

I've always thought the pre-amp is the most overlooked and under appreciated component.  They do a lot more than just adjust volume and switch sources.

[carusoracer]

I has my Supratek Sauvignon in the shop for a couple weeks and replaced it with an old ADCOM GTP-350 Tuner Preamplifier...
I still listened to music, but that magic was gone! So after 2 weeks I get the Supratek back and all of a sudden the sound is lifelike, Extended, dynamic... detailed. Seperate and not all squished together.. Tons of airy glow!!!
Anyways I know the Adcom is poo poo, and has no tubes. But the Supratek is something really special.

I know Mick said that Supratek is out of business, but I believe you can still by the preamps/amps from him, but they are built and you have to kind of pick what he has... I could be wrong though.. His email --> supra@supratek.biz

Also the repair place was great... They are on Long Island -->stereorepair@optonline.net
Site: http://www.stereorepair.net
Just as a resource and that they did a good fix is why Im posting their info.
Mike

Mike,

Anything costly to repair the unit?

[mcullinan]

It came to about $217.00 I think most was for hourly rate... They replaced 2 Mosfet transistors, upgraded a mute switch, soldered a few loose connections.. which he says is common with point to point wiring.. and cleaned all the connections/ dials.
He seems to know what hes doing... and the problem is gone. YEah!
Mike

They definitely add that something something to the music. I had a AI Modulus 3A for 10 years which I loved...very neutral.. clean, never broke . I also love Mikes (Mosjef) VAC REally nice sound!

[carusoracer]

Mike,

I sent an email to Mic..Maybe he has something or units sitting.

[mcullinan]

Micks pretty laid back, and pretty friendly. LEt me know what he says.
Mike

[jbtrio]

Hey Mike,

 I think a pre-amp is very important. Everytime I tried using a CDP without a pre the sound was a little more transparent, but lost drive and fullness.

I have a Supratek Sauvignon also and think it is really nice. What tubes are you using in your unit?

Joe

[doug s.]

there was an old thread a while back on choosing equipment in order of importance in a system.  preamp was/is my number one item of importance...   

doug s.

[mcullinan]

Hey Mike,

 I think a pre-amp is very important. Everytime I tried using a CDP without a pre the sound was a little more transparent, but lost drive and fullness.

I have a Supratek Sauvignon also and think it is really nice. What tubes are you using in your unit?

Joe

I have KT66 TAD Tube Audio Doctor Tubes which are hand picked by TAD, but I believe they are Chinese. Shuuang relabeled? Very nice... warm airy relaxed... I tried a pair of SED Wings and disliked them, too aggressive and forward. For a rectifier I bought a used Mullard, should arrive in a few days. The guy says they last forever... The rectifier definitely changes the sound too. I had a Groove Tube Gold ... very warm sound, smoothness to presentation. Then I thought there was something wrong with it, but there wasnt, and I chucked it. Right now I have a Sovtek in. which is very neutral, more clinical. And Mick says the ones that change the sound the most are the 6SN7s... Right now I have 1578 Russian NOS.. from the 80s. These are military grade and sound awesome. Extended and dynamic. Mid sparkle. The other ones I love are the Sylvania 6SN7 VT231 Black Base. Wow... I think maybe a tad nicer mids, but not as good on the extremes. The 1578s are extended and sweet. But those Sylvania mids.. hmm... I could always switch back and forth.
I tried a few pairs of RCA and didnt like them.. eh... Ge eh...
How about you What have you found worked?
Mike

[mcullinan]

there was an old thread a while back on choosing equipment in order of importance in a system.  preamp was/is my number one item of importance...   

doug s.

YEs.. thats why when people always want to use their DAC with a volume control, I think they are missing part of the picture.
Mike

[S Clark]

Know exactly what you mean.  My Dodd battery pre needed work several months ago.  It was only gone a couple of weeks, but my old Sansui just didn't have the depth or sparkle.  My pre is really the only place in my system that I splurged to buy new equipment.  It makes a huge difference.

[soundbitten1]

Hey Mike,

 I think a pre-amp is very important. Everytime I tried using a CDP without a pre the sound was a little more transparent, but lost drive and fullness.

My findings were exactly the same . I like the body that a preamp provides to the music .

[Brown]

Especially an active vs a passive. Gimmie tubes gimmie SS gimmie active

[zybar]

there was an old thread a while back on choosing equipment in order of importance in a system.  preamp was/is my number one item of importance...   

doug s.

YEs.. thats why when people always want to use their DAC with a volume control, I think they are missing part of the picture.
Mike

If you get something like the Modwright Transporter you are getting the best of both worlds in one package!

http://www.modwright.com/pdf/TransporterMusicServer.pdf

George

[jbtrio]

I use NOS tubes.

Rectifier: Amperex GZ 34  similar to the Mullard ,the earlier ones with the double d getters are better then the later year ones.
They should last a long time, worth every penny.

Regulators: Sylvania 6F6g or GEC Kt-66 both are real nice. The 6F6g have better bass and are little warmer. The Kt-66 have more clarity in the mids & are more extended in the treble. Both are excellent, with warmer 6sn7's the KT-66 , with more neutral 6sn7's the 6F6g.

Drivers: Tung Sol round plate black glass (expensive but one of the best all around 6sn7)
            Sylvania 52 bad boy with the 3 hole plates and copper post ( if you like the VT231 black plates you'll love these, much better bass with the same beautiful midrange and highs)
           Sylvania 6sn7w (dynamic,slam,detail,sparkly highs)

 These are my 3 favorities, but also use Rca grey glass & NU black glass when I want a more romantic sound for Vocals, etc.

         

[tubes-n-horns]

....soldered a few loose connections.. which he says is common with point to point wiring..

I have built much of my own gear, with point to point connections.....so how long can I expect before failures appear?

Rick

[doug s.]

If you get something like the Modwright Transporter you are getting the best of both worlds in one package!

http://www.modwright.com/pdf/TransporterMusicServer.pdf

George

what do you do if you want to listen to winyl or fm? 

even if you only do digital, i wouldn't be surprised if this would still sound better when run thru a good preamp...  i wonder whether dan thinks it will sound better if run thru his 36.5 pre...  i know srajan said he preferred it when run thru a preamp, but he also wentured that others may not...

doug s.

[doug s.]

....soldered a few loose connections.. which he says is common with point to point wiring..

I have built much of my own gear, with point to point connections.....so how long can I expect before failures appear?

Rick

i disagree w/the comment that loose connections are common w/point to point soldering.  i have used old wintage gear w/point-to-point soldering, & the connections are still fine.  actually, i think you will experience loose solder joints more often with circuit boards then w/point-to-point connections...

ymmv,

doug s.

[zybar]

If you get something like the Modwright Transporter you are getting the best of both worlds in one package!

http://www.modwright.com/pdf/TransporterMusicServer.pdf

George

what do you do if you want to listen to winyl or fm? 

even if you only do digital, i wouldn't be surprised if this would still sound better when run thru a good preamp...  i wonder whether dan thinks it will sound better if run thru his 36.5 pre...  i know srajan said he preferred it when run thru a preamp, but he also wentured that others may not...

doug s.

I don't listen to vinyl or fm.  

Do I think things would sound better through Dan's two-piece preamp?  Probably.

Of course, there are many ways I could spend another $9k to improve things... aa

George

[Mariusz]

Hey Mike,
Supratek made some excellent gear and it was probably one of my favorite preamps.
Briefly owning Chardonnay with a NOS Bendix 6106 Rectifier tube and a matched pair of NOS Tung-Sol Round Plate tubes was quite an experience........especially for $1700 used.
I loved that thing......really. 

And........like most, I also tried CD to Amp directly. My comments are not so dissimilar from the previous ones as well. Transparency, YES.
Body, soul, weight was unfortunately a miss. All in all, I guess that in fact - preamp is essential to enjoy the MUSIC to the fullest- IMHO.    -
Until proven otherwise.

Mariusz