Anyone famaliar with the manufacturer,and in particular this pre amp.The credentials and testimonials seem impressive.The advertised 10 day audition is appealing.
I tried that in the last few days. It is an excellent product. I got more deeper background, wider soundstage and details. The silk smooth sound when I listen to the strings. I met Joseph in person and he is a very honest and nice guy. I end up with bought TP 2n + 3 transparency power cords. To me, I feel it worth every penny I spent.
I would say I enjoy the music, the TP2 enhances/extends my system on both ends. Don't get me wrong, it is not to emphasize the sound, it is "just about right" (Their is an old saying in Chinese: "Do what it should and avoid what it should not"). It is hard to describe sound in word, why not try yourself and see? Regards.
Thanks. You see how important it is to mention the gear that you used before. It still doen't say much about the qualities of the preamp. It's better than the Mccormack TLC which is a boat anchor for me. Glad you like it.
Hello. I am very seriously considering obtaining the Audio Horizon TP 2.0 preamp as my first tubed experience, given the wonderful feedback about Joseph and his products here.
Would you be so kind as to update your impressions now that most of you who have posted have been living with the preamp for a longer time than initial impressions posted here earler. I know that I can audition but do not want to do so until I am quite certain that I will keep, to be fair to Joseph.
Has anyone sold theirs and moved on? Anyone interested in selling thiers? Still feel it is the best available? The basic version is wonderfully priced - how necessary/desireable do you think the upgrades are, that are offered? How do you feel about the stock tubes versus upgrade? I am particularly wondering about the expensive B version transform upgrade as I will be presenting the preamp with an unbalanced source DAC but feeding into a amp that accepts balanced input. All short cable runs with clean power. Associated equip Von Schweikert VR4SR speakers, Aragon 8008BB amp, Northstar Transport and DAC. Geurilla IC cable and PC's. Thanks Joe
I continue to use and to enjoy my TP 2.0nB preamplifier. No trouble with the preamp at all. I think it is a great value. Perhaps you will enjoy the process of upgrading the preamplifier. I went for the fully upgraded version at the start, including the upgraded tubes, and have not regretted it. As I understand it, Joseph offers the tubes as a not-for-profit service to his customers in order to better demonstrate the capabilities of the preamp. I listened to the stock EH tubes and to Siemens tubes. The benefit of the Siemens was clear to my ears. However, there may be other excellent tubes that you would prefer.
I'm still enjoying mine very much(TP-2.0n). I recently upgraded its power cord and went with the ultra-expensive Siemens CCa tubes. Both brought the sound to a new level of sonic bliss for me. I don't plan on selling mine any time in the near future. Joseph offers a money back guaranty, so what do you have to lose by giving it a try?
Cedar and Sherod Thank you for responding. Particulaly good to hear that the more basic 2.0n has satisfied, and that the tube upgrade is worth it. I am salvating, now just have to gather funds and support from my dear one.
I would recommend that you discuss your needs with Victor Comanchero, Joseph's sale's rep and confidante. Victor is very knowledgeble and helpful and has always answered all my e-mails with great detail. I would have possibly upgraded to the balanced transformer, however, my amps don't have balanced inputs at this time, but I can get them upgraded anytime. My amps are the VAC Musicbloc monoblocks and they mate extremely well with the TP-2.0n preamp. Joseph and Victor might be familiar with your amp so they can suggest which version of the preamp would best suit your needs. I have a feeling that once you hear this preamp after its break-in period, you'll be very pleased with it's wonderful musicality.
TP 2.0n user with tube upgrade. It works well with Wadia 581. This is my first tube preamp, the only downside is I need to turn it off after listening to save the life of tube.
Well how about that, I started this thread months ago and now it's back like a proverbial boomerang.I now have a TP 2.0nB.After a traditional burn in period I auditioned against my Aesthetix Calypso.It was evident within several minutes that the TP 2.0 was superior in every way,and that was with the stock EH tubes.I recently acquired a quad of NOS Siemens which raised the bar another level. After 30 years of upgrading,buying,selling and tweaking it is my considered opinion that this pre amp alone is most dramatic improvement I have experienced in my system. It has no remote,well I had to open another bottle of wine anyway,right.
Markwatkiss, I'm glad to see that you are enjoying your TP 2.0 preamp. To state confidently that it is sonically superior to the Aesthetix Calypso is high praise indeed as the Calypso is highly revered in the audiophile community. Yes, I also don't mind it not having a remote because I too need to take the time to open up that bottle of wine. Cheers and happy listening.
The preamp has a 30 second turn on delay. It sounds good almost immediately. It does not run hot even after long periods. However, like all audio gear I have heard, it does sound better when it reaches stable operating temperature.
I agree with Cedar. It does sound excellent right after turn-on. As to how long the circuit takes to stabilize, I'm not sure. I doubt very long. There are other variables at play, AC, amp and source warm-up, etc. Bottom line, this preamp reproduces what is reproduced very convincingly.
Well, folks, you did it! After considering used CATs and BATs and Supratek, the glowing comments got to me and I ordered the works - the Audio Horizopns TP 2.0nB with the gold tubes today. Joseph and Victor have been as responsive and knowledgable as you have all described. Found out that the new phono stage will be able to be retrofitted, and that you can easily get a theatre bypass if you want. Unit should ship in a week. Its Christmas in NC! Thank you for all your comments. Joe
I also ordered one fully loaded and now have it! I am letting it settle into my system and let you folks know what I think. I also own the 3.0 dac and all of his top end wire in my reference system.
Bill - that will be an interesting comparison with the CJ reputation for sound that appeals long-term. I think sometimes it is too easy with new equipment to be amazed at all the new stuff heard (partly becauase we are listening so carefully) then a year later feel that the heart and soul of the music could be better conveyed.
FYI, the magic of Joseph's preamp really didn't click in until I replaced tubes location one and three with 1960 Siemens grey plate CCa tubes. These particular tubes are rare and very expensive, but I heard a significant difference after trying various other Siemens CCa and E88cc versions. Various Amperex, Valvo,etc. versions need not apply. I think that Siemens borrowed a few Elves from Mullard to make this particular version CCa because the music it makes is truly "magical". IMHO and YMMV.
Hi All, I have have been keeping up with this site. I was on the fence with many Preamps (Tube), ended up with TP 2.0nB had issue with slight hum, but Joseph was on top of it all the way, I even received a call from him on Sunday to my surprise! The hum is temporarily taken care of soon to be a permanent fix. I will post my final audition thoughts after proper burn-in time so far very happy with sound!!!
Markwatkiss - Thanks for the welcoming message. I feel privileged to be in such descerning, gracious and helpful company! Ralphcast - I'm jealous still have to wait till the end of the week to receive mine. Welcome aboard and we are eager to hear your reactions.
Question for those proud owners of TP 2.0, mine came without any type of chassis ground setup, just a pre-fab whole. Wondering if was the same for anyone else.
Just received my unit this afternoon and set it up. Had a hum using RCA output with none using balanced outputs, called and Victor and Joseph responded immediately with recommended fix to close the ground. I will listen for first time this evening when family goes to bed.
Ralph, I'm not sure what you are talking about regarding the chassis ground. I am plugged directly into the wall outlet and my preamp is dead quiet. Do you still have a hum problem? Joe, glad to see that you have received your preamp. I am anxious to hear your evaluation. The preamp will take a couple of days, however, to break in to achieve its smooth character. I definitely recommend the best power cord for it. Interesting that you got a hum on RCA. I only have the single RCA outputs and never had a hum. Must be a system dependency issue.
Sherod, I do not have a hum any longer after looping a ground. The chassis ground i am talking about is marked on the rear panel next to Balanced in. When looking at picture posted by the advertisers Joseph and Victor you will notice some sort of POC.
RalphCast - I too have a empty hole marked chasis ground. I can only assume it is for later when Joseph has developed his phone stage which is in the works. But if you find out let us know Joe
Yes, I've been listening every chance i get. I have a McCormack DNA- 500 solid state amp, and wanted a taste of the tube sound, so far considering burn in time it is blending very well, i recently installed 4 Herbie Peek Dampers seemed to improve overall. The sound i am getting is Musical and Lively with nice texture, i continue to be play and play! Doubtful of 30 Day offer, and likely to upgrade tubes you know how that goes!
My unit has about 20 hours on it now. I am listening through the balanced outputs. I am also using solid state amp Aragon 8008Bbb and wanting to experiment with tubes for the first time. This is a very preliminary impression. The AH pre in black is more attractive looking and solid than I thought it would be from the pictures. It has has a very pleasant sound with perhaps a very subtle layer of grunge removed compared to the SS pre Aragon 28K. Also the soundstage seems a bit deeper and more three dimensional perhaps with more air around the instruments and sounds seem more clearly placed. The AH has has a fabulous sparkle on some pieces. So far The amount of detail, and sound stage width seem similar to my SS but the AH seems slightly more natural. Looking forward to doing more listening this evening. So far so good but it is subtle. Joe
At 40 hours, it is no longer subtle - the preamp is developing a gorgeous sound - details later. Thank you all for recommending that I give the AH a listen.
Joseph has asked me to comment on two matters: the hole gamajo mentions marked chssis ground, and a ground hum problem some owners, including gamajo, have.
Gamajo is correct: the chassis ground is there to act as a chassis ground when the two tube phono stage is introduced, either as an internal option or as a stand alone, some time in April.
As for the open ground hum gamajo and some others have experienced, this occurs when for some reason the ground carried by the ground plug of the power cord is rendered discontinuous from the AC outlet through the power conditioner or surge protector, to the amplifier and preamplifier. This means the system does not carry a continuous ground. If one is using the balanced out, the balanced IC will carry this ground between the preamp and the amp as the third wire in the IC, but if one is using the single ended outputs, the RCA IC's only have hot and neutral, and will not. One must thus create an external ground to ground the preamp chassis to the amp chassis.
We hope to solve this problem with a rear panel switch in future models.
I have his preamp with all the upgrades and a nice remote volume. It works great! Just got mine about two weeks ago and love it to death. It is the finest preamp I have ever heard.
I have owned many preamps in my reference system. I know a preamp can really make or break a system. It is, in my estimation, the real heart of a great sound system.
Here is a list of great preamps I have owned,
Thor Tom Evan Vibe/Pulse Audio Note M5 Wavac Jeff Rowland Concerto Tom Evans Soulmate (very nice indeed) Bruce Moore Aloia Belles 21A Sonic Frontiers Line 3 CJ premier 16 LS16 S2
The CJ , in my humble opinion, was the finest I have owned in my home. So musical and full of body and texture. It did this without losing detail.
Now enters Mr Chow's preamp. It bested the CJ in every single way. From top to bottom, from front to back and all over. Reaches higher, goes deeper with much more authority. Better focus and clarity. Stage size is about the same - realisitic and large in scale. The CJ is softer sounding with less instrument separation and less impact.
Now this is the result in my system, in my room, with my wire and my taste. My system consists of,
Proceed PMDT transport Music Hall 25.2 highly modified transport Audio Horizons transparancy cable/wire throughout Audio Horizons 3.0 tubed dac with NOS's from Mr Chow Dali Grand speakers on Sistrum platform Belles 350A Reference amp (love it) 2 - BPT 2.0 balanced line conditioners - one for amps and one for digital 2 - dedicated 20 amp lines Star Sound Sistrum rack for all gear - very nice and helps isolate vibrations very well.
My room is 26 X 20 with a generous amount of sound panals and bass traps with a concrete floor.
My wife is not an Aphile, but loves to listen with me. She also felt the AH preamp bested the CJ. The CJ has wonderful midrange and is silky smooth. The AH matched the CJ in the midrange, but the AH's highs were even smoother and much more extended and clear.
I love my AH dac and wanted the preamp, but a remote was a must. I ordered the 2.0 preamp as soon as Joseph was able to add remote as an option. I think it cost $300 for the remote option.
I just cannot say enough about his gear and his service. Many won't buy from a small, relatively unknown company, but if one is willing to try his preamp, I can't image it ever being returned.
I will not be selling his dac, wire or preamp for many, many years as I am totally satisfied and content. That is a miracle for Aphiles like myself - check my feedback - Ha!
The CJ is a world class unit in sound, looks and features. To some, its softer sound may be more pleasing. The CJ adds more midrange warmth to be sure. Again, some may like this over the more neutral AH presentation. To each his own.
To my taste the AH preamp just got me more involved in the music and performance. It sounded more live and less recorded.
One last point. I have been a audionut long enough to know that system synergy is everything. I do think Mr Chow's wire and dac have wonderful synergy with his own preamp.
The CJ may sound better in another system with different components and wire. I have experienced this fact myself over the years. I don't think it is possible to say one great piece of gear is better than another in ALL cases. It has taken me a little while to learn this, but it has finally sunk-in.
The CJ unit retails for $8400 while the AH unit retails for $3600 - fully loaded like mine. Yes, the AH unit is very special indeed.
So you say there is a remote for $300 then? It is not on mentioned in their pricelist or on their website. I've emailed Victor but haven't heard back from him. I guess I'll try again, or just, gasp, call them. By fully loaded you have the 2.0nB with gold pinned Siemens then?
Bill - Thanks for taking the time to write detailed thoughts. I'm headed to Vegas tommorrow and when I return in a week my AH preamp should be fully broken in. Then I will post my impressions. Joe
Victor is usually very quick to respond to emails. He might be travelling. I'm sure that you'll hear from him soon. There are times that he travels and sometimes might take a day or so before he gets back with you, but he will because he's very considerate and concerned. By the way, I'm in agreement with Grannyring as to the sheer musicality and naturalness of the preamp. I only have the 2.0n, but I'm very content with the preamp.
Tvad, I don't like like my system to white washed and "clean" sounding. Seems to me many define transparent as threadbare and sterile. I also don't like fuzzy and over-lush sound in my system. I seek a happy middle. Seems to me the AH preamp is just that. It is very transparent, but not in a sharp and attacking way. The notes have body , texture and weight, plus I experience a wonderful transparent intimacy to the music.
I love to hear all of the detail as if it is right before me and intimate. I want it performed with all of the natural weight and tone that draws me in. Seems so hard to get both, but my current system has both. The AH preamp is the piece that helped nail this.
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