Dipping toes in tube preamp pool!!
I agree with @tooblue that the Lamm LL2.1 is excellent. If you're interested, I'd be happy to send you one to evaluate; I find the only way to make these kinds of decisions is to hear it for yourself, in your home, in your system. - Colin Lamm Industries dealer https://gestalt.audio |
No question, Don Sachs' new preamp would be at the top of my list of preamps. I got the 4th one he built several years ago, went through all the excellent upgrades with it, and just now have his newest offering running in. I can imagine better tube preamps than Don's, but they would cost 3-10X the cost of Don's preamp. Simply astonishing. I kinda think that there is magic in employing 6SN7 tubes in a preamp and Don does too. |
Jim, I was in your shoes some 15 years ago. I had a fair solid state setup, but wanted something more. I explored tube preamps and opted for a used Audible Illusions line-stage preamp, cost $500 bucks. When plugged in I was ASTONISHED @ the improvement in the warm quality of the sound and the improved soundstage. I recently upgraded to a NEW Audible Illusions L3B, cost more but still great. The AI has been around 30+ years, lots of used ones about. Has been reviewed in Sterophile and most recently in The Absolute Sound. Check it out, I think you could be pleased. Check my other contributions to the Audiogon Forums to see my total setup. |
