I love Conrad Johnson preamps. My first was a Classic SE, followed by the CT-5 with the teflon cap upgrade, and finally the superb ACT2.
I wish I could find a Classic SE, or reasonably pricedC-T5 available now!
Best Used Tube Based Preamp $2k Or Under?
As the title says, I am pondering my best options for purchasing a tube based preamp for $2k or under. Must have a remote!
Your opinions, thoughts, and expertise would be greatly appreciated. If I was spending more, I would know most of the best choices, but I'm on unfamiliar ground at this price limit. But sometimes, you can only do what you can do.
Thanks for any help.
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That Supratek for $1500 looks quite amazing. (Review here: https://6moons.com/audioreviews/supratek/chardonnay.html) Here’s a question, @nightfall -- do you have anyone near you that could fix or upgrade equipment, should you have the need? I have had much gear tweaked and in a couple cases fixed by a local audio guy. Having that relationship could be the make-or-break factor in your ability to take chances on various pieces of gear, used or new. I found my guy by first finding the audio club in my town and then asking them where they got their gear fixed. It’s been smooth sailing since then. | |
I have a Schiit Freya + and a Supratek Chardonnay. Both are very good preamps but the Supratek is my favorite of the two. It does everything well, has variable gain on output so you can better match to your amp, balanced input and output, and remote.. Buy one. You’ll love it. If you don’t, just sell it. There’s a nice one on USAM right now for $1500. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650185743-supratek-chardonnay-preamplifier/ | |
there will no be SQ impact, just pick the right device! there are many transformers between your outlet and high-kV power station already installed! why do you need step-up to get 100V ac, typo? I use multiple low loss / leakage Nissyo TP-811 for <100W loads, when I need less than 100v ac plug.. for power amps transformers need to be large enough, that’s all! | |
@nightfall "I would love a CL38uC, but in checking, they go for $3500-4k!” in JP used cl38uc pre goes for less than $2k.. ebay offers start at $2.8k, incl. shipping (lowest I’ve seen n years): https://www.ebay.com/itm/156670112426.. buying used tube stuff you might need additional check / maintenance, no difference to many other older stuff sold in US / else.. | |
This is my last correspondence with Kara (feb 2020).
I don’t know if the sabbatical ended but the website seems to have just remained static. There is this comment on a USAM ad for a preamp (already sold) that indicates some work is still being done by Kara. Best to email.
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riche56915 posts I don’t know if there is any flexibility in your budget, but if you look at the deHavilland website, I believe the current price for a new UltraVerve 3 preamp is $2495. I spoke to them a while back and I believe they now include the remote. I don’t have any first hand experience with it, but based on what I’ve read, I’ve considered buying it myself. \ Thanks. I thought they were out of business. I checked the website, and the UltraVerve 3 preamp, with remote, is $2995.00. Thats a grand over my budget and definitely not possible. | |
The SP14 is, IMO, one of the great buys in audio. Rich and linear like the Cary SLP-98 but *much* more transparent and responsive, with a quieter background. Compared to the SP14 I find the Cary a bit thick and slow, but still very musical. The Don Sachs versions are nice upgrades and can be found used (he no longer makes them) but the newer SP14s are no slouches. They’re based on John Broskie’s "Aikido" noise cancellation circuit, next to the Williamson amplifier one of the great contributions to public domain audio circuits. I would also look at the LTA Velo, which is a preamp/headphone amp but just about in your budget range. David Berning is a brilliant designer. I haven't heard the DeHavilland but I have very good memories of their 76-based preamp, which was super-musical. | |
I don’t know if there is any flexibility in your budget, but if you look at the deHavilland website, I believe the current price for a new UltraVerve 3 preamp is $2495. I spoke to them a while back and I believe they now include the remote. I don’t have any first hand experience with it, but based on what I’ve read, I’ve considered buying it myself. If you are interested in a Rogue RP1 preamp, which is a decent reasonably priced tube preamp with a remote, I have one that I would consider selling, so you could PM me if you have any interest. | |
@hightfall my friend had one for a year. Re-Sold it. He just wanted to try it for fun. No real "signature" that he commented about really - was a big collector of tube preamps and has owned and owns several of Dennis Had's Inspire Linestage units, another about to go up for sale later this year. He felt the sound of Holger's preamp was more dependent the 6SN7 tubes used. Buddy just wanted to try one with tone controls and you might even notice the loudness switch too. Kinda fun. All in the signal path of course when switched on. Nobody does that any more, so its really something different. Best to contact Holger and talk with him directly, he's been doing these for a while. Its an option and kinda unique. Are there better preamps, sure. | |
Nightfall, Like you, I have been looking for that perfect used tube preamp for under $2000 myself. Been through a few. Currently have an older Audible Illusions preamp that I love. Only pain was, no remote for volume control. I did find a fix. I stream music using a Wiim Pro and the Wiim comes with an optional remote that I purchased for $20. Works perfectly. Love the Audible Illusions even more now.
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mbmi589 posts The best is AUDIO-GD Tube preamp. They are very musical and a great value. koestner677 posts Underwood Hi-fi offers a real warranty if you buy Audio GD through them. They fix it in Georgia, US.
I have a friend in Chicago that loves his Audio GD that he bought from Wally. However, he has also told me that it only performs optimally with a balanced amplifier as it was designed for balanced operation.. My amplifier(s) are single ended only.
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Might as well toss Holger's preamps in the ring. Tone controls anyone?
Aretha - 6SL7 https://www.erhard-audio.com/Aretha_MKII.html Europa - 6922/E88CC https://www.erhard-audio.com/Europa.html
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Best of Luck on the Warranty and repairs, and shipping back and forth if you live in the USA. Here you go, enjoy, "to and fro!" http://www.audio-gd.com/Warranty-EN.htm
Warranty, reads:
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decooney, I have had a DS1, D2, and his latest preamp, the Raven, but needed to part with Don's 300b monos so I sold the Raven in a combo deal. Each preamp version has improved SQ, but I also had a stock Tube4Hifi SP-14 at the same time in my bedroom system and it was stellar performer, purchased used for $1100. With Roy Mottram's upgrades, I'd guess the new V23-K1 is quite close in performance to the DS2 and I would have bought it but for the used DS2 I found for sale. I was looking at the Supratek preamps but as far I could tell, they are all two-box units that would not fit in my rack. The OP has gotten some excellent recommendations to guide his purchasing decisions. This forum is a wonderful source of information. | |
Here is an Audio Note M2 for $2750 no connection to the buyer just an AN fan here.
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650185472-audionote-m2-preamplifier-balanced/ | |
They offer that new V23-K1 too, for $1925 assembled, with remote, has 6SN7s and rectifier tube with caps shown, (scroll down) https://www.tubes4hifi.com/SP14.htm
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You can get great sounding 6's for a lot less, people with lots of disposable money push things up ridiculously, simply try some from Brent Jesse https://www.audiotubes.com/6sn7.htm He's got a lot of Baldwin Organ Factory stock, $30. each, they could match some for you. I had 6sl7 and 6sn7, Cayin OEM, (made by ____?), loved them. Blew one, had a used GE sounded like the Cayin, use it temp and get matched ones, right? Tried some new Sylvania's, matched pair $160., hated em, Brent Jesse had me 1st break them in (simply leave on for 60 hrs, no signal needed), then let me return for full credit, and tried some General Electric (based on my used GE sounding so good), matched pair only $80. They sound great, as good as the Cayin Branded whatever they are.
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@soixthe Don Sachs preamps are Tubes 4 hifi SP14 v23-k1 essentially with his take on cosmetic enhancements and some upgraded parts. I'm running one in my system (not the Don Sachs version) and had all the upgraded parts available swapped in for the standard. If you build this yourself, it starts around $800, or assembled for $1100. These are really nice, but bare bones, no XLR in or out, remote controls volume and dims display, but they now have a newer version of the kit with OLED display for $2100 assembled. Probably can't beat this preamp for the money you are spending. | |
great suggestions here ... just for completeness, Klaus Bunge's group Odyssey Audio has the Candela preamp that fits the budget ... 20 year warranty: https://odysseyaudio.com/candela-vacuum-tube-line-preamplifier/ | |
