Counterpoint, Modwright, Aesthetix sound?

I am looking for an affordable premap, very warm like the Precision Fidelity C-9.

I don't know how the Audbile Illusion preamps perform in comparisson to them.

If anyone has compared a Counterpoint SA-5, 5.1 to Modright and Aesthetix please give feedback.

I am interessted What was the reason?

I suspect a voltage regulator o a cap did blow due to age reasons.

What was the reason?

Yeah that was basically what a lot told me. The Counterpoint SA 5.1 did outpeform the Audio Research SP-10.

Many say it sounds warm, deatiled and very liquid unsurpassed by anthing else there on the market.

I guess the smoke was coming from the PS/Unit, not the preamp itself

I can honesly say myself I have lived with a lot of tube and solid state products and yeah once I experienced myself an amp going up in smoke.

It was a loud bang and that was it, but it did never burst into flames.

That just sounds a little strange to me mhm???