Don Sachs DS2 vs Wells Audio Commander

I’ll take the under on this one.

@soix Have a better recommendation for a tube preamp with HT Bypass + 2-3 outputs in a similar price point?

No.  I’d bring up the LTA MZ2 with upgraded power supply (not better just different) but it doesn’t have an HT bypass — don’t think Sachs offers one either though.  Not hard to live without HT bypass IME.

Love that LTA – beautiful. My Don Sachs does have an HT Bypass, but he no longer offers them.

With that pre why are you even looking around? The Sachs seems like an end-game level preamp — at least IMHO — unless you’re willing/able to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

I'm quite fond of the DS2. The only complaint I have is there is an audible noise floor if I put my head up to the speakers. Which really is a non-issue.

The reason I'm curious about the Commander is that I had both a Don Sachs KT88 (MSRP $3800) and Wells Audio Innamorata II (MSRP $7000), and the Wells Audio barely edged out the Don Sachs.

It misses some the tube magic – for sure – but it is slightly more articulate without being fatiguing. And since it's solid state, I can leave it on during the day without concern of burning out tubes.

So I've thought of the Wells Audio Commander for a while, and I'm not sure if there's really a benefit to moving to the Commander / another preamp... of if yes, I am at the inflection point of diminishing returns with my current setup.

i love the ds pre as well, but agree that there is a little tube noise, the unit is sensitive to that... need to work at the tube selection to get very quiet tubes... but worth the trouble i think the unit sounds exceptionally good

It misses some the tube magic – for sure – but it is slightly more articulate without being fatiguing. And since it's solid state, I can leave it on during the day without concern of burning out tubes.

Yeah, therein lies the rub, eh?  Probably why running a tube pre with SS amp is so popular.  If possible you might want to look at a Class-A amp that IME does about the best job of blurring the lines between tubes and SS.  Something like the Clayton Audio S100 is really nice because it does that but has a high/low bias switch so if you want to leave it on 24/7 the electric bill doesn’t take such a large hit.  FWIW...

@jjss49 - What tubes did you settle on?

What tubes are you running? I have the Don Sachs Model 1 (with his 6BY5 tube rectifier mod) and I only hear tube noise when I first turn it on?

I’m feeding a pair of Soundcraftsmen PM-860 monoblocks.

i put shuguang we6sn7’s in the 2 primary signal (left) positions - at don’s recommendation ... and old stock rca red base 5692 in the minor driver positions

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shuguang-electronic-tube-valve-c-49/shuguang-we6sn7-electron-tub...

i have a gaggle of 6sn7-equivalent old stock tubes from my days with vac and cary amps, chose the quietest ones i had

i did go through 3 pair of those lovely big bottle chinese tubes to find a very quiet set

All I can tell you is my Don Sachs pre (about 9 months old now) has bested my AR-6-SE and my PSA-BK pre's.  I couldn't be happier. 

No hum from my DS either (94db speakers with accuton drivers). Sounds like maybe you need to do some troubleshooting. Maybe you've got a small ground loop issue in the system? That's the only time I've heard hum out of my unit. 

If you have to put your ear up against a speaker to hear tube noise then you don't have a problem.  Dead silence in that situation equals SS and good SS at that.