[thunderbrick]

Hello all;  I need help with choosing a preamp
I want to buy a 2-channel preamp with remote, and I am considering the Anthem TLP-1, Parasound 2100 or B&K PT-3 or 5 series, but I'll consider others.
Budget is $400-500 TOPS for used gear, and MC phono is a plus.  Will use with Moscode 300 amp and Maggie 1.6r or vintage stacked DQ-10s.
I like wide and deep sound stage, listen to large classical works and some celtic or folk.
If anyone has heard a comparison with any of these units and can describe the sound I'd really appreciate your comments.

Thanks,
Bob

[wilsynet]

There's a Conrad Johnson PV-10 on Audiogon right now for $500.  Includes phono section.

[DTB300]

Used items can get you a lot of PreAmp for little money.  CJ and ARC models PV-10, PV-14, SP-16, etc.

Second the CJ and would also suggest Audio Research based on my tastes and preferences.  Yours may differ.

[ajzepp]

Your Maggies are gonna love a dedicated preamp, Bob...preferably something with tubes

I just went back to Maggies a few weeks ago (3.6s) and have really enjoyed introducing them to my Mapletree pre and Butler amp 

[thunderbrick]

Appreciate all the help!  Keep those comments and ideas coming!  Tubes are fine, and remember, remote is a must!   

[Josuah]

I've got a Parasound Halo P3 and if the 2100 is not as good, I wouldn't recommend it myself. Sticking the P3 in the chain made things sound like it was recorded compressed, and introduced some noise (although I suppose that's going to happen with just about any active pre-amp).

[woodsyi]

I would go with this used ARC like Dan mentioned.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1238088160&/Audio-Research-SP9-

It's been around 11 days.  You should have some bargaining room to get it close to your limit.   I had one I really liked a while back.  It took a $3k preamp to beat it.  It does come with MM phono.  I believe it has high enough gain (59cB?) to do HOMC.

[doug s.]

wow, normally rim and i have similar taste, but not this time.  i much preferred my cheap adcom gfp-1a to an arc sp9 mkll i auditioned in my system a long time ago.  the sp9 mkll was completely dull, lethargic and lifeless sounding to these ears.  made everything sound slow.  the shop i bought it from even allowed me to tube roll w/tubes they prowided; i was happy to return it after a 2-week in-home demo.

if you do find a nice pre w/o remote that you like, you can always insert a creek obh 11 or 12 (or newer 22 - more money, same guts inside), for a transparent remote pass-thru to run your preamp...

ymmv,

doug s.

[thunderbrick]

Thanks so much, and keep the ideas coming.  Good info on the Creek units, thanks!  I had a Chase add-on remote that sounded great on a NAD 3020, but I'd like a simpler solution, even a Parasound P3 perhaps.  A combined pre/tuner might be nice, but I have at last 4 tuners in the basement bone pile already.

[doug s.]

Thanks so much, and keep the ideas coming.  Good info on the Creek units, thanks!  I had a Chase add-on remote that sounded great on a NAD 3020, but I'd like a simpler solution, even a Parasound P3 perhaps.  A combined pre/tuner might be nice, but I have at last 4 tuners in the basement bone pile already.

only four tunas?!?  i have about forty!   

another option is the audio alchemy dlc - four inputs and remote, but no fono stage.  excellent sound, for solid state.  and, they usually sell for $200-$300, depending on condition, and which power supply is included...

doug s.

[thunderbrick]

Yeah, only four, but I have small systems in most rooms. Three in the basement, including the laundry room/darkroom. More are planned.   
I simply will not listen to music from another room. 

[WGH]

I have an Anthem TLP-1 along with the PVA-2 amp. The first thing that noticed about their sound was how grain free and relaxed the combo is. The PVA-2 has strong controlled bass and the pre-amp has been voiced closer to a tube sound with the balance on the warm, laid back side of neutral resulting in a non-fatiguing presentation.

The TLP-1 pre-amp has plenty of inputs and controls, from individually adjusted input level control for each input, tone bypass, it even remembers bass and treble settings for each input. Sub-woofer outputs (both low pass and full range), main outputs (both high pass and full range), AM and FM antenna inputs, and an infra red remote control. The reviews I have read are pretty accurate.

The Anthem pre-amp (and amp) would be perfect for a system that leaned toward a bright, analytical, and bass challenged sound.

I am currently listening to the Van Alstine Insight electronics so the Anthem gear is sitting unused in my closet, I could be talked into selling it. I bought it new from an authorized dealer (Wilson Audio) in August '06.



Wayne

[thunderbrick]

Wayne, thanks!  Good to get a description of the pre's sound.  Couldn't find that answer on other websites.

[geowak]

Thunderbrick

Hey, I was in a similar boat. I had gotten an Odyssey Stratos amp and a Candela tube preamp but was unhappy with the sound. There was some noise issues.

Later I got a McCormack DNA-1 amp and bought a Benchmark DAC USB1. Now the Benchmark is USED as a preamp with SPECTACULAR clean, noise free sound.

If you hold out, wait to save more and get this-
http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/system1/digital-analog-converter/dac1-pre

You will have a very, very good sounding preamp, DAC, headphone amp and USB connection all in one unit.
I wanted the Odyssey amp-preamp combo for a long time, and I wanted it to sound great, but in the end the McCormack-Benchmark combo gave me clean, clean, grain-free sound with a huge soundstage. Now I have the best sounding system I have ever had.

My two cents...

[woodsyi]

  the sp9 mkll was completely dull, lethargic and lifeless sounding to these ears.  made everything sound slow.  the shop i bought it from even allowed me to tube roll w/tubes they prowided; i was happy to return it after a 2-week in-home demo.

doug s.

You must have been suffering from head cold during those 2 weeks.  Or did the Sound Image folks turn you off from ARC? 

SP9 is not the best line stage ARC put out but it's not bad at all and the phono section is good.  I would take SP10 over SP9 every time but we are working with a budget.  I am sure synergy with the rest of your equipment matters.  The OP will drive his Maggies with a hybrid Mosfet amp.  I don't know how another hybrid like SP9 would interact.  I like a full octal preamp but his budget is $500.  I really like tube/ribbon combination in general and would go with a tube preamp over an ss one.  In the end thught, IMHO, it's not possible to find something that will let both Moscode and Maggies to sing up to their full potential with this budget.