Direct coupled tube preamp?

The Cary SLP98 preamp can be special ordered "direct coupled".

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/manufacturer/man-a-d/cary-audio/slp-98p.html

I have one of the Cary SLP98p F-1 versions, mentioned above. It's simple awesome. I change out gear all of the time, it's an illness, yet I never have any desire to change out the Cary preamp.

Audio Electronics AE-3 DJH is direct coupled. It's essentially a baby brother to the Cary SLP98. It's fantastic sounding and mates well with tubes or SS.

I second Mofimadness and Macdadtexas above. The Cary SLP-98 F1 is a stone killer at its price.

MacDadtexas,how much is the Cary SLP98p F-1? Do you have the direct couple version?

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I really like the red and black color and looks of the SLP-98.

You can find them on here, used, for about $2500, a bit less if it's not the version with the phono stage. You have to make sure it's the F-1 version, and that it is stated it is direct coupled. They don't come that way unless it is expressly stated on the box. Only Upscale audio sells them configured from Cary this way. You can get one new from them, you have to call Kevin there, and sometimes they will make you a very good deal on one.

What are the advantages or disadvantages of both approaches? I have an Atma pre but did not really think about what being direct coupled meant and why it was a good thing, versus the more conventional approach.

Pubul57, direct coupled usually means no capacitor in the signal path. However, Atma-Sphere preamps have capacitors in the signal path, just not in the output coupling stage. Coupling capacitors on the output are placed there to block any DC from getting to your amp and possibly to your speakers if the amps are also direct coupled - this can damage your speaker. Capacitors impart their own colorations to the sound; for example, paper in oil caps are known to have a very relaxed smooth sound, but some find them muddy and slow sounding. They also can limit low bass response and roll off the top end. The larger the capacitor value, more sonic coloration will be imparted. The largest value cap is usually the output coupling cap in order to block DC and not to limit low bass. These are generalizations of course, but most would agree caps do add colorations to some degree. So getting rid of output caps will increase dynamics, extend the low and high frequencies, and in general have more neutral sound. That's how I see it. I'm not legally or technically responsible for the above statements.

I use the Atma pre with an Atma amp - are my speakers safe from DC:)?

Yea, you can adjust the DC offset on the Atma-Sphere amps so it will be negligible.

Oh, yeah, forget about those controls on the amp, I have set them right, but wasn't sure what the purpose was, not I have a better idea - thank you for you input (no pun intended).