Aric Audio Systems Unlimited Preamp

Hi. A few months ago I purchased a Transcend 6SN7 Preamp (Line Stage Only) from Aric Audio. I needed something to pair with my Parasound H2200 amp and Magnepan 1.7i speakers. The couple of SS preamps I tried just didn’t mesh well.

Enter the Transcend. It completely transformed my system, and made me really appreciate the Magnepans.

Someday I will probably get with Aric and replace the Parasound with one of his tube amps. In the meantime, I am a very happy customer.

My next few thousand dollars of disposable cash will go to for a cappuccino machine, though. Priorities. (Please don’t throw things at me)

Hey Mark, Thanks for the kind words! I also wanted to mention, that from now until the end of October Aric~Audio will be running a site wide 10% off sale including all of the Transcend, Special pieces, cables and speakers. Anyone interested in taking $350 off a Transcend Push Pull- now is the time! It's easy- just use the Contact Us form on my website and let me know which model you'd like, and your zip code for shipping. As always, color options are available as well as modifications/upgrades (10% off does not apply to upgrades as those are charged at actual cost). http://aricaudio.com/tube_gear.php

Thanks to all who post, and I look forward to any and all new orders as well. 

Best wishes, Aric

I just ordered a unlimited pre to drive a dennis had 6jm6 amplifier. 

I'm yet another very happy customer of Aric Audio.I've had the Transcend Push Pull amplifier in my system for a couple of months now.Dead quiet background,wide and deep soundstage,outstanding timbre across all frequencies,the placement and three dimensionality of the musicians is almost spooky on good recordings.There is detail galore but presented in a natural nonfatiguing way.

This is in comparison to the Quicksilver Mid Monos I've lived with happily for the past five years,a NuforceSTA200(auditioned and returned),and of course memories of other tubed and SS amps I've owned in the past.The Transcend is like supercharged Quickies-more and better of what I've always liked about them.The Nuforce is a fine amp but to my ears it lacks emotion.It's smooth and powerful but soulless.I clearly require that tube magic to reproduce my tunes:)
The reason I was considering SS or any new amp is because I thought one of the Quickies wasn't working(just a bad cable,whew!) and thought a back up amp and a placeholder was a good idea until it was repaired.So now the Quickies are set aside for emergencies,which actually might solve another dilemma - which of my two kids inherit the stereo.So can get a couple of of new(or used) things and have something nice to pass on to each of them.What an excellent excuse to purchase stereo equipment,lol! "It's for the kids honey,really!"
My system is:Vincent CDP(tubed),Rogue 66(tubed) preamp,Tekton Impact Monitors,SVS subwoofer.
Music I love:Rock from the 60s and 70s,acoustic and electric blues,folk,a little country,a little classical.
Every genre of music I've listened to with the Transcend in the system has simply become more alive and natural sounding to me.One example of a well recorded song is from an Analogue Productions sampler disc "Don't Let Your Right Hand Know" Sonny Boy Williams.I've heard this hundreds of times in various systems but now he's right there between the speakers.I can hear him breathing and the rustle of his clothing before he begins his performance,his lips moving on his harmonica,his position relative to the mic,his physical movements.It was startling,thrilling,and really not what I expected at all.On some recordings I can hear several musicians moving around on the stage.Attack and decay of notes is very good,bass has texture and impact.Even not so well recorded music benefits with better separation of instruments and vocals.I'll stop blathering on and just say I was expecting \hoping for a good amp.What I got is a great amp IMHO.
A couple of other cool things about the Transcend are you can listen in triode or ultra linear with the flick of a switch,adjust the feedback,the volume, and it's self biasing.The flexibility is a real plus.
So thank you Aric:)

@jtcf  you're very welcome my friend and I'm glad that you're enjoying the Transcend Push-Pull amplifier as much as you are! Things will only settle in more with additional break-in which should add additional focus on soundstage and transparency as well. Much appreciated on the review! Best wishes, Aric

Corrected my previous post....

"It's for the kids,really!"

+1  Thanks for sharing your experience with and enjoyment of Aric Audio's Transcend Push Pull Amp. Great story and journey!

I’ve been running my new unlimited for about a month now and am extremely happy with my purchase! I bought my preamp in burgundy and added a phono stage. Aric shipped it and it arrived at my house in two weeks! My decware zp3 took 4 months. As everyone has stated he was a pleasure to work with and his workmanship is top notch! Arics preamp is an excellent addition to my almost all American made system, vpi traveler, decware zp3, schiit bitfrost uber, inspire tube and emotiva ss amps, and new to me zu soul loud speakers.
The unlimited replaced an old aricaudio pre that I picked up used and an old decware passive that I had been using for about a year. Imo the unlimited sounds better in almost every way over the other two. As mentioned by others the sound stage is huge and instruments are easily placed within that soundstage.
The dual outputs are a huge plus! It makes it easy to switch between tube and solid state amplifiers. This was one of the features that drew me towards Arics designs to begin with.
The unlimiteds phono stage is no slouch either. Again, it makes it easy to enjoy one of my other turntables without having to mess around with unhooking my other gear.
On top of all this the unit is beautiful and sits nice next to my zp3. I’m extremely happy with my purchase and would recommend it any day of the week! American made audio at a price that a working man with a family can obtain. I’ve got about a hundred hours on this and am looking forward to hearing it mature over the next few months. Thank you Aric! I absolutely love my new preamp!

I just wanted to share this here in case anyone was on the fence and just needed a small nudge to push them over ;-) 

Up for sale is a custom version of my Transcend Push~Pull amplifier featuring a 12AU7 front end! Tubes are included as is the full warranty! This unit is in mint condition and has only been lightly used by myself- not fully broken in yet! I would of course prefer to sell outside of eBay to avoid their large take. Feel free to contact me to make an offer! Best wishes, and thanks for looking.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153352829914

I just wanted to follow up that this item has sold to an Audiogon member! Thanks for all who took a look. Best, Aric

I own the Unlimited and it is simply outstanding.  Specifically, the soundstage, detail, and focus it reveals is considerable.  It is paired with a D-sonic amplifier driving Magnepan .7, the combination exceeds my expectations.  Aric Audio is a rarity, quality, integrity, and value in one company.  My audio vocabulary does not match the quality and enjoyment his product has brought me.  In my research, the unit easily competes with those in the 3-4k range.   Give him a call, you will glad you did.
David

I just wanted to post this here for anyone interested in getting a deal on an amplifier. I have a customized Transcend Push Pull (KT88/6SN7 based) as well as an EL84 push-pull, both demo units- in 9/10 condition (which is conservative). I built these recently for my personal use, and the thought occurred to me today that "I have too many amplifiers", and as such am offering these for what I believe is a great deal! Feel free to contact me here, or through the Contact Us on my website if interested. Note: Either of these units is a GREAT match with my Unlimited, or other preamplifiers. Thank you for the bandwidth and for looking! Best wishes, Aric

 https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9d1c6-aric-audio-southern-6bq5-el84-push-pull-tube

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9d1c4-aric-audio-transcend-push-pull-tube

With a couple weeks of the amp in my system, and a chance to get in extended listening impressions: Aric 6bq5 Push Pull

 

I have been rolling some tubes, I am not versed in the vernacular to put into words how tubes compare. Safe to say though The current setup is very pleasing to MY ear.

 

Those new Production Tung-Sol 6bq5, Paired with a very nice pair of 60's Telefunken ladder plate 12ax7's, and a vintage Raytheon twin (opposing) side getter 5u4GB rectifier. The amp is ticking off all my boxes. A very nice sparkle up high without the dreaded cymbol sizzle or ear piercing screech.  Liquid, and inviting Mids. Emotional At times causing ones hair on the back of the neck to stand up and run a chill down the spine.  Realism can be surprising as well quite often I find myself rewinding a file to see if that was in the music or ? while I am sure it would do well in the bass arena, I will refrain from comment as I Bi-amp and I have a crown SS amp pulling duty below 150Hz. (No need to guild the lilly  ).........................Over all just a fun & pleasing amp to listen to nightly.

 

Sound stage is MASSIVE side to side and DEEP This is the forte of my preferred speaker (Open Baffle DiPole).  I have had amps that affected that forte negatively, The Aric does none of that.  The Aric adds a layer to the music that was not heard before, It has a way of bringing some of the nuances forward, Example Bruce Springsteen's breath can be clearly heard on Ghost of Tom Joad, & Nebraska Albums a pair I considered favorites of mine for many years, I thought I knew them quite well.

 

I was shocked when I installed a matched set of RCA vintage smooth Gray plates with the angled pan getter they seemed to really dull down the sound I had a marked loss to the sparkle, I so dearly love. Confusing to me because in other 6bq5 amps I have had those were my go to tube. Could it mean I will save $$$$ on tubes (I sure hope so)

 

It really is a treat to set back and listen, the toes get to tapping spontaneously. I even break out my air drums, and occasional guitar for a solo. Wife rolls her eyes and boys just shake there heads as they walk away ..............

Hey Joe, Thanks for your post and I'm glad that you're enjoying the 6BQ5 Push-Pull! It always amazes me how those little tubes can be such powerhouses. And they sound really darn refined to boot! Best regards, Aric

I've had Aric's phono amp for a month now. It is the "special" as it has a few upgrades to the regular phono pre-amp listed on the website.

I could not be happier with this amp. It replaced a Graham Slee Era V and is a major improvement. I was looking for a richer, more organic, smoother sound and this amp delivers in spades! I figured it would be an improvement over the Slee, but I was not prepared for what a substantial improvement it is. I run it between a VPI Scoutmaster and a Plinius integrated. It fit right in the chain seamlessly, which hasn't always been the case when I've added a new element to the system. Props on a substantial improvement to my system, as well as my vinyl listening pleasure!

The review for my Alpha 300B Push Pull amplifier went live today on Enjoy The Music in case anyone had any interest in checking it out:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0619/Aric_Audio_Alpha_300B_Push_Pull_Amplifier_Review.htm

Aric

Aric, thanks for the heads-up on the review and Congratulations.

I keep hearing superlatives from @mac48025 which makes me wonder if the Enjoy The Music reviewer would have been able to write sentences, had he heard 'that' 300B!!! Or get his wife to leave the audio room!!! : )

Thanks @david_ten !! I agree that if the reviewer had the Unos with the SET 300B, that things may have gotten even more interesting :-) On that note, @mac48025 's build is the most superlative example I have built or heard thus far to date. I'm glad he's still psyched with his 300B SET! Best wishes, Aric

Aric's Super 211 SET amp is listed in 6Moons "Coming Next" section. Looking forward to Terry London's take, once he has the review published.

Yes......the 300B SET monoblocks with two external PSU’s are the finest amps I’ve had the pleasure of owning. And they aren’t even fully burned in yet! I’ve enjoyed the previous three amps Aric has built me but these are in another league. Thanks Aric. 

@david_ten thanks for the heads up about 6Moons. Is that a new wood case for the 211? Kind of hard to tell

Thanks for the heads up @david_ten and for the kind words @mac48025 ! @xenophon yes sir that's the second in a new chassis option I'll be offering on some models. I'll be revamping several of the current product line with this chassis and also offering a pre-fab Walnut chassis. The custom one in the 6Moons preview is a layered curly-maple and walnut chassis that was heavily inspired by Mac's amplifier. If anyone is on Facebook, my business page has both pictured (below):
https://www.facebook.com/AricAudioSystems/

Best regards, Aric

There's another thread happening regarding my "Super 211 SET" amplifier below if anyone is interested:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/head-ups-for-fans-of-aricaudio-designs-his-new-super-211-set-...

The review of the Super 211 SET is live on 6 Moons:
https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/aric/

I have a question for you folks that are running The Unlimited. What regulator,rectifier tubes are you using,and how do they sound? I've had my Unlimited for about a year and a half,and absolutely love it! 
I would like to keep some extra tubes on hand,and curious what others are using. 
      Thanks,
            Ray

I'm very familiar with it as I had one for some years. I still have it actually, I have just moved on to his Special 6SN7 Linestage which is similar, except it's purity times 10. It now leads the charge and no one is looking back.

Hi Ray, I'm using a NOS Sylvania 5U4GB (Black Plates) which I have come to believe is a wonderful discovery as it transforms the whole presentation into something nearly magic. I don't know why. As far as the regulators go, truthfully, I haven't noticed a marked difference between any of the types I have tried. The rectifier tube seems to influence the delivery far more than do the regulators. My opinion only.

Thanks for the response tubepower. The Unlimited uses a 5AR4 rectifier. I'm wondering if that variation will yield similar results as the Sylvania 5U4??

Hey guys! @rocray , the 5U4GB (not 5U4 or 5U4G) can safely be used in the Unlimited as the first filter cap it requires can be no larger than 40uf, whereas the 5U4 is much lower (the Unlimited uses 33 uf). Using it will lower the B+ voltage just a bit, so just make sure the regulators light consistently. If you find they are going out, then use one OC3 and one OD3 when the 5U4GB is in place. I agree with Tube Power on his choice for a favorite 5U4GB. For 5AR4s I’ve only ever used new production- either the Sovtek, Tung Sol or Mullard reissues all sound really good! Best, Aric

Hi Aric. Thanks so much for the response and recommendations. It's awesome to have the manufacturer so easily accessible. What sonic differences can I expect by swapping in a 5U4GB?

You're very welcome Ray, and much appreciated on the kind words! When switching over to the 5U4GB, the presentation will be slightly more laid back due to the higher internal resistance of the 5U4GB versus the 5AR4, but you may find this is a good thing! The reason why an OC3 and OD3 regulator may need to be subbed when switching to the 5U4GB is there is an additional 20 volt drop in the power supply output when using the 5U4GB, and depending on your wall voltage, may be just enough of a drop for the dual OD3's to not stay lit reliably. In that case, when you go to the OC3 and OD3 pair, the B+ voltage will be dropped to around 275 volts instead of 300 volts which is still right in the range for the Unlimited to operate and sound its best :-)

Aric,thanks again! I just ordered a Sylvania 5U4GB and a GE 0C3. Both should be here by Tuesday.

Awesome! You're very welcome and please do let us know how it works out! Best regards, Aric

I’m also very curious to hear how the 5U4GB and 0C3/0D3 combo will sound as compared to the 5AR4 and 0D3/0D3 arrangement. Please report back. I’m currently running a Tung-Sol 5AR4 (vs. the stock Sovtek) and a pair of NOS GE 0D3s. Couldn’t really tell much of a difference is sound quality. I just thought the GE tubes' Coke bottle shape looked a bit cooler. For me, trying different brand(s) of the driver tubes by far made the most difference in the sound signature of the preamp.
Aric, out of curiosity, what would be the effect of running a pair of 0C3s with the 5U4GB?

@kalali I would not recommend a pair of OC3s as the regulators as they'll drop too much voltage which will cause the dropper resistor to absorb too much current and run very hot (hotter than it's rated). Using the 5U4GB I would recommend the OC3 and OD3 which will provide a much more ideal voltage to other components in the preamp. It will drop very little voltage, and provides a slightly more laid back presentation :-) Aric

I misspoke about delivery of the tubes. I should have them by 12/10.  I'm really looking forward to this experiment. 

Thanks Aric. Let's see how this works out in rocray's system, depending on his upstream/downstream components but in my current system which includes mostly tube electronics both upstream and downstream of the preamp, a more "laid back" presentation may not be as desirable. An all solid state system may benefit more from this change, albeit it'll probably be a very subtle change.

Well my Sylvania 5U4GB and GE OC3 showed up and are installed and running. The first thing I noticed was I had to turn the gain down. I'm letting things settle in a  bit. There seems to be a little more holography happening. I really didn't think that was possible. 
  
   tubepower,thanks for the recommendation,and Aric,thanks for the guidance in making this happen!  I'll post some more impressions as I get more time with this combination.

@rocray hey, thanks for the follow up post, that's awesome! Offhand, I can understand the soundstage possibly "fleshing out" more using the 5U4GB, for whatever reason it seems to have a more organic presentation than the 5AR4. The gain shouldn't have really changed at all however in theory, so that is a little bit baffling to me, but perhaps there's some other synergy that is occuring here between the preamp and amp due to this change? At any rate this is all good news and I'm glad to hear that you're digging it! Best wishes, Aric

Thanks Aric. I'm enjoying this combo so much, I just ordered another Sylvania 5U4GB,and OC3.  First thoughts on the tube changes are larger soundstage,taller and wider,also,I find music has more "texture". So far, this is the best tweek I've experienced with my current system. Highly recommended!

rocray, thanks for the feedback. I think I'll try this combo as well just to see what difference it makes in my system. My Unlimited is paired with an older version of Aric's SE KT88 amplifier and upstream I have a LamizatOr Amber tube DAC. Lots of tubes to play with...all played through a pair of Omega Super Alnico Monitors. Glad to hear you're enjoying your "tweak".

I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I feel the tube change brought my system up a notch. Right now I'm running the Unlimited with a First Watt F5,Graham Chartwell LS3/5's,Bluesound Node 2,through a Topping D50. The Topping is my first foray into external DAC's. 

Just wanted to give a quick update with my experience switching to the 5U4GB/OC3/OD3 tube arrangement for those who might be interested. The first obvious change was the regulator tubes lit up much more quickly when compared to the stock 5AR4/OD3/OD3 set up. Not sure if its a "soft start" change or not but it used to take roughly 10 seconds or so for the regulator tubes to glow but now they light right up upon turn on. Didn't notice a change in the gain level but I agree with Aric's characterization that the soundstage is now a bit more "fleshed out" and the overall sound is more pleasant. A very well worth experiment, cheap and simple. Thanks rocray and Aric for all your input and guidance. This little preamp keeps getting better and better...

As far as the change in gain,I’m going to attribute that to human error. I had to pull my pre out of the rack to switch tubes. I could have very easily twisted the gain control unplugging connect wires. That seems more likely the more I think about it.

 kalali,great to hear you have had similar results! 

Hey guys, It's very cool to hear on the tube tweak upgrade! I will be letting others know about it as another option to tailor the musical presentation towards a slightly less "upfront" character (perhaps to help mellow an overly sibilant or bright amplifier?). @rocray - Thanks for posting your impressions! @kalali - Thank you as well, and on the quicker igniting of the regulators- this is due to the 5U4GB being a "directly heated" rectifier- meaning that it conducts as soon as it is powered up. Alternatively, the 5AR4 is an "indirectly heated" rectifier and it takes 10-11 seconds before its heater comes up to temp, which then allows the cathode to conduct. It's often used as a "turn-on delay" or soft-start, but is not needed in the Unlimited. Best regards, Aric

Aric, thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. I did a bit of a binge listening last night mostly familiar tracks and am now appreciating the change even more. The Omega single drivers can get a bit "too upfront" in the midrange particularly at louder volumes. With these (tube) changes the overall sound appears to be more even and balanced. The net impact is a more realistic soundstage without any negative affect on the texture or imaging, etc. Not sure how else to describe the affect. Very interesting. 

Ok,I am truely enjoying this new tube set up. Next question,what 12a_7 are you guys running,and what are your impressions?
   

In my experience, the "flavor" that different signal tubes add/subtract to/from the music and whether or not you ultimately prefer the sound, will depend on the gear upstream and downstream from the Unlimited, maybe even the cables. I have tried JJ, Tung Sol Gold Pin, Mullard new stock, vintage Mullard, and vintage Telefunken signal tubes.  When I had my SS DAC and Vincent hybrid amp driving Vandersteen 2Ci speakers, I thought the two vintage brands sounded slightly more musical. But now with a tube DAC and an SE tube amp and single driver speakers, same cables and same room, I have settled on the new stock Mullards and sometimes I swap in the new stock Tung Sol Gold Pins. I feel these tubes are a bit more neutral and better complement the rest of my system. The vintage tubes seem to add a tad too much emphasis on the midrange which I don't really need given the character of the speakers and the rest of the tubes in the signal chain. I am not talking night and day here and the experience could vary quite a bit by the type of music and the recording. The best bet is to just try different pairs and see which ones sound better to your ears in your system/room. Vintage tubes can get very pricey but new stock tubes are fairly reasonably priced and I honestly do not think the sound difference justifies the cost difference, at least in my experience. Hope this helped.