Herron HL-1 Preamplifier, Solid State; Herron still in business? Thoughts about sound?
I'm looking into having a solid state preamp along with my other tube gear. I'm considering a Herron HL-1 preamp on the used market. Comments about Mr. Herron's gear and his reputation as a talented and kind man are all over the internet.
It seems he has retired or is in semi-retirement. His website has been de-commissioned, it seems.
So, two questions:
(a) I don't expect a unit to break quickly, so I'm more interested in how easy to fix his solid state preamp might be by a third party? If you have any thoughts about that kind of scenario, please let me know.
(b) More important, if you have had experience with the HL-1 Herron preamp, how would you characterize its sound compared to other things you've heard? Any other thoughts?
With all the hoopla around about gear, I find myself drawn back, again and again, to smaller makers who take pride in their work and genuinely care about listening to the things they make. This is why I'm drawn to makers like deHavilland, Herron, Quicksilver, Aric Audio, Atmasphere, and many others.
@soix I'm looking for a SS that is fairly neutral and, as it adds a bit of gain, it would be nice if the gain was slightly warm. Just a bit. I'm presently using a DIY made by a friend that is comprised, basically, of the original Burson buffer with a really nice relay based attenuator, ultra low noise resistors. Any SS I got might be a bit warmer than this, but this one is dead quiet. |
I wrote to him and he wrote right back. He is retired and still stands behind his products. Nice guy. @mulveling You make a good point. One might even go for something super simple, like an old Apt Holman. @soix thanks for your commentary, suggestions, and links. I yearn for LTA, but a SS preamp would be a kind of temporary utility infielder. I don’t need to over-spend because I really really love tubes. Just want a good pinch player. Nice conversation with him, here:
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Great replies! @audphile1 thanks for the Pass rec. Not sure I can find it for under 1k. By the way, can you tell me why you have Pauly Walnuts as your icon? I always find it disconcerting. @blackbag20 Are we looking at the same unit? How might it fit with your system? Herron's high reputation come through again and again. Sounds like a mensch's mensch! |
