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Inexpensive Tube Pre?

This weekend I picked up a Conrad Jonhnson PV3 off of CL and connected it to my Sansui integrated. HOLY CRAP does it sound good! I now want tubes in my system!! My question is: Will the $400 Jolida or Dared Tube pre's give me similar sound? I would like to get something new but don't want to spend $1,500 on a new CJ classic pre. I would also like 12ax7 tubes if possible, cause I have a few Telefunkens on hand.... Any suggestions?
mik971

Showing 1 response by lowrider57

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
I owned a Jolida Envoy Preamp and it has a sweet, lush tube sound. The linestage has 12ax7s and the phonostage uses 12at7s. I did not like the phono sound at all...grainy and not very dynamic. CDs thru the linestage had a very musical presentation, although I would not call it quiet preamp. It might be the high gain tubes that cause this. I rolled in some Amperex NOS and the soundstage really opened up.
I would recommend only if the price was right.
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