Best 6NS7 Preamp for a Pass Labs XA25 amp


Will need a remote.
No SCHITT Kit.
There must be a couple happy XA25 Amp owners out there?
gadios

Showing 3 responses by skiroe

I’m wondering if anyone here remembers Aric Audio selling on ebay more than a couple years back? Let me rephrase a bit. I think it was Aric Audio from what I recall. Now, Im not at all taking issue with his product. There are people here who have positive impressions and that certainly counts for something.

First, I’m just trying to ascertain whether that Aric Audio from ebay is one and the same builder as current product. Aric Audio--(if I am recalling the correct name) back then sold very small 1 or 2 tube units that I cant even quite remember what they were. Possibly phono stage or buffer or something of that nature. If it is the same person he has come quite a long way from what he was building about 10 yrs ago. These were small DIY units --maybe only 8x6 inches. Don’t recall anything else about the units and not on ebay these days.


I have had a Modwright LS100 in here and it represented very much the 6sn7 sound and on some level surprised myself by selling it. My complaint is the huge chassis which would need the feet moved inward in order to fit on my standard size rack shelf.  Moving the feet not a biggie so not sure that was really much of an issue.   Not particularly happy with the remote volume control. Could not get the incremental decrease on volume that I preferred . In all fairness could also have been an issue with the motor as an Alps Blue would perform better I think.  The way to go would be with a Khozmo .

Could not ask for better volume control than what I am getting on my SF Line1 with .5db increments . And its full featured remote of which is not offered generally in the 2-3k price range for many of the pre’s mentioned here. But,, while the line1 is a full featured robustly built preamp that sounds good and these days would cost 5-7k it just doesnt quite have that tube flavor. Not that its disagreeable or missing something. I have had 2 of them It is a hybrid design with tube input and s/s output from what I have gathered.

Im thinking of going for the LS100 again with a phono stage and selling my Hagerman Coronet to downsize system a bit. And then of course I would let go of the Line1.

I think Supratek is well worth checking out as well. Another one though that I have not seen with more than a remote volume control. So options would likely take it up to 3k or so. And, what about service should it be needed? Ship to the AU? The Cary as well --watching out for that one.
@aricaudio   thanks for checking in.     Well,  it helps my aging brain to jump start memory recall to hear you are one and the same.     I will have to check out your web page some more.  
@coachpoconnor   can you elaborate a bit on your Supratek as in upgrades ,  what it cost you,   how many inputs ,  how long have you had it and by chance if it needed service would your only option be to send to AU?  Have a remote and if not any info about the remote and if more functions are available for the remote?     I could simply email the builder I suppose although at this point in time would like to hear of others experience with Supratek.