best remote preamp for McCormack amp

For what the SF Line 1 goes for that's a hard one to beat. The ModWright SWL 9.0 SE has a little better PRAT. Built quality on both are great. The remote on the SF does more; the MW remote only does the volume but it's a really nice sounding preamp that I used on many SS amps with no issues whatsoever. I've not heard a SS preamp new or used at that price point I'd pick over these two pieces.

There's a lot of very nice SS preamps but you'll have to spend a little more. The SF Line preamps really shine with NOS tubes so that can get a little costly. The SWL 9.0 SE only runs two 5687s and they're more affordable.

I'm on my second SF line 1--a gold faced and at an incredible deal a few years back.   Around 600 for it.    Lots of good connection options as the Line 1 or the 2 or 3.   2 balanced inputs.  1 balanced op.  2 rca's pre out, Most pre's only have 1 pair of pre out.    tape connections as well as plenty of rca inputs.  I have 3 amps running off of mine.. Used separately and with choice of hi sensi speakers for the 2a3 SET that is a part of the system  . A MCcormack DNA 0.5 is one and the other is a Pass xa30,5.    The remote is my favorite of any I have used..  the aluminum hockey puck.    There is a good tweak for the dac chips for the volume control---replacing the Crystal with Burr Brown--I have  which ones written down somewhere..  2 Crystal chips are soldered to the board which means need to change over to socket type and there is no one around here that I would want working on it so havnt done the conversion.  Some units already have the sockets so its a matter of buying the Burr Browns which are only about 12 bucks apiece.

Yeti,

Your question is wide open. We we could recomend at least 100 different preamps. How much money do you want to spend, and what kind of sound do you want?

I have been using a Kora Eclipse preamp (Siemens gold-pin tubes)with my DNA-225 for just over a month and have been very well pleased. LARGE soundstage and detail. This is a hybrid pre with a SS phono section which also serves my needs quite well. With the excpetion of volume control, the Kora can ONLY be used via the remote control unit. As such, TWO are provided with the preamp.

If you're not looking to go tubes you might want to check out the Placette active preamp, which is very highly regarded and extremely neutral. I think you can try it risk free for 30 days as it's only available factory direct. Best of luck.

Tim

You may also want to try BAT VK3i; mine sounds very nice with DNA-1 Rev. B and uses 4 6922s and 2 6V6s. The pre runs cooler than the SS amp!

Hi, I agree with Garfish. I just purchased a Sonic Frontiers Line 3 to replace my McCormack TLC-1 deluxe w/remote and my McCormack RLD-1 which is also a great solid state pre for the money. I'm still keeping the McCormack pres for my second system. I'm very pleased with the line 3 and changed only because I wanted to try a tube pre with my McCormack DNA-2 standard (I hope to have Steve upgrade to Rev. A soon). The SF works excellent except runs hot (12 tubes no doubt put of some heat) and make sure your rack can give the SF's room to dissipate the heat if you go tube pre route. Hope this helps and feel free to contact me for further input. Don.

Frontiers preamps. Even the least expensive line 1 has the same build quality and features as the cost-no-object (almost) line 3.This is a feat in itself. Full featured yet musical. Not your typical tube sound, but very exact and neutral, the way it should be ! I own a Line 1 with the McCormack DNA-225, I have looked hard to get the perfect match. After auditionning the line 1 and 2, I got a line 1, springing instead for the valvo tube upgrade. It captures the qualities of the McCormack amp nicely. Good luck! Hope this helps. Very nice built-in tube headphone amp by the way.

If you can find a Golden Tube SEP-2 or SEP-3 linestage they make a very nice matchup with McCormack amps & have remote control. Gigantic sounstage!

Yeti; If you're willing to consider a tube pre-amp, I've used the Sonic Frontiers Line 2 with a McCormack DNA-2DX for over 2 years, and then with the DNA2 up-graded to Rev. A for about a year now. I highly recommend this combination, and I also have an SF Line 1 that is nearly as good with McCormack amps. These are tremendously versatile pre-amps with excellent remote controls. They are neutral/accurate and very smooth sounding rather than being euphonic. Line 1 and 2 pre-amps are available used for $1000 to about $1700. Good Luck. Craig