2. amps-preamps
  3. 150299-134884

Balanced preamp recommendation : w4s, hegel, parasound

Hi all,

I'm looking to change my audio Gd nfb1amp preamp for one with a real HT bypass (plus xlr input, 2 RCA inputs, RCA and XLR outputs...).

The power amp is a Nord Ncore 500.
I've found 3 candidates under 1500$ (used ones) :

- wyred4sound Mpre : great reviews a few years ago but very ugly
- hegel P20 : very few reviews, looks solid
- Parasound P7 : swiss army knife. Musical enough?

What are your views on these devices ? Is there other good choices for the same price ?
I prefer neutral/ warm sound than bright one.
I made some researches on the forum, I live in Europe so many brands are unavailable in my country (or too much custom taxes).
I saw the Schiit Freya, it hasn't real HT bypass, it's too bad, very affordable.
;)





ros3bud
maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic
1,113 posts
 
Check out the Emotiva XSP-1 It is a two channel pre . It seems ruler flat to me . Any recording I play through it can be played at any volume without fatigue . dead quiet and just gets out of the way . I picked mine up in a group package I picked up to flip . This Emotiva is a keeper . I don't know what I would have to spend to get better results , and I cannot imagine what aspect could even sound better . 
It has tone controls if desired or defeatable by going "direct" mode . Has xlr and rca inputrs and outputs , Phono too . 

I am currently running a Nad silverline s200 amp with it into King Sound speakers and Adam audio Tensor Gammas . Makes both speakers shine 
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
I'm using an Ayre K1xe    highly recommended
ros3bud OP
1 posts
 
I've never heard about the emotiva xsp1...interesting

Any thoughts about the audio gd master 1 versus the others (mpre w4s, parasound p7, primare pre32...)?
hgeifman
2,193 posts
 
+1, @stringreen,  I also recommend the OP consider one of the Ayre Acoustics pre-amps.  Please see:

https://www.ayre.com/categories/pre-amps/

There are six Ayre pre-amps for sale on Audiogon at several different price points.  


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