bryston 28bsst2 / mag's 3.7

Providing you amp has enough power, and is a decent match for your speakers (And in your case, it looks like you are OK), the preamp is the most important choice you will have to make. If you don't get the right one, you'll ruin your system. This is not something you rush into. Everyone will tell you what their favorite preamp is, but you really need to find your favorite. If you're not sure, I would recommending that you use a source with a volume control, if you have one, or buy a passive. That way you can use your system so you're not under too much pressure to buy something.

"Should I stay with bryston or look at tub preamps."

Keep in mind that preamps are not generic items. SS preamps will not all sound like a Bryston. The differences between SS brands can be huge. Same thing for tubes. They all sound different.

I'm looking for a preamp to go along with my bryston 28bsst2 and mag's 3.7. Should I stay with bryston or look at tub preamps.

Don't know your budget but have 2 friends using VAC SigMKIIa pre with their 28bsst2.

Most tube pre cannot drive SS amps properly but it's not a problem with VAC.

Thanks for the info, what type of interconnect and speaker cables does your friends use. I'm looking into the VAC.

Some more info would be helpful. What preamp are you using now, and what aspects of sound reproduction are most important to you and what specifically are you looking to improve upon over what you have now? Until we know these things, as Zd alluded to, you'll just get people's personal preferences which likely have nothing to do with what you may be looking for. And budget would be helpful too. Basically, the more info you give us the better and more useful recommendations you'll get here.

I had 3.6R's for years, and liked the match with Bryston very much (although I must say the Sanders Magtech was by far the best amp I ever used with Maggies, followed closely by the Cary MB500's) and when I first got those together I had a Bryston preamp.

I eventually switched to a Cary SLP98p F1, that was the hot rodded version sold through Upscale Audio. I still have the preamp, and now that I'm in a smaller room, I've traded my 3.6R's for a super MMG system (with a Bryston 4BSST2 btw).

I love the sound of Cary preamps, it's decidedly warm, and that balances, to my ear, the sound of high powered planar speakers with matching amplification.

The SLP 05 or SLP98 models will work very well for you.

I've also always loved the ARC preamps, but they are not as warm as the Cary's.

Good luck, cheers.