2. amps-preamps
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Modwright SWL 9.0SE Pre ... your thoughts welcome

Hey, I have decided to dive into tubes ... well, you get my meaning. I was steered towards the Modwright SWL 9.0SE and so far have read some good things. I'm running a Levinson ML-27 for power and Paradigm S-4's for speakers. My transport is nothing special, Denon DVD-2200 but I am also looking at running a tubed DAC in hopes of bringing the system a little more alive. Right now the system seems a little flat ... not very exciting. Plenty of volume bass end it fantastic but the mid and upper end seem very packaged. Imaging is not very good ... High and mid frequencies don’t seem to blend well. Some CD's have fair to good sound but most seem pretty "plain". Just doesn’t have that delicacy I'm looking for. I seem to listen the SPEAKERS and not the music. I recently listened to an older set of Paradigms pushed by a small tubed integrated and I was amazed. The tubed gear really made the Paradigm speakers come to life ... I was set back in my chair. Vocals were clear and crisp … the sound was extremely detailed and I had to be drug out of the room. Since then I have really started to pick a part my system.

Cables are Signalcable Silver Resolution Balanced and Cobalt Ultimate speaker cables. I'm running Signal cable "Magic" power cables. Nothing fancy but it should do the job.

Is this upgrade going to help? Has anyone experienced this?

Any better preamps in the $1500-2000 range? What about Levinson SS preamps?

Help me out … Please
128x128horseface

Showing 2 responses by wsifu

wsifu
9 posts
 
i own a SWL 9.0 as well and have been using cryo'ed late 1950's tung sols for the last 100 hours. nice combination.
wsifu
9 posts
 
as you stated, "The SWL 9.0SE was meant to be a high-quality, high-value product that brought Class 'A' performance to the audiophile at a real-world price. It is not inexpensive, nor could we build it cheaply and have it perform at the level that it does. But, at $2200, it was meant to compete with other products that are 2x - 3x plus its price. I don't want to lose sight of this with upgrades that will necessarily add to the overall cost of the 9.0SE." IMHO the SWL 9.0SE meets all those goals and are the primarly reasons that i purchased the unit. further, i think your last sentence nails it with respect to an appropriate market strategy with this particular product.

this is my first foray into the "higher" end, separates arena. the SWL 9.0SE will serve as the "heart" of my system for the foreseeable future and any upgrade activities i may engage in will involve the other components because i think the pre is good enough to withstand upgrading the other system components within the contrainsts of my current means.

i do not consider myself to be an audiophile and only need a linestage as i do not have the time or inclination required to do vinyl correctly. i love music and the SWL 9.0SE does it right for me. i think there are many others that fall into this category.

on the other hand, i understand the assault on the high end and the actualization of the potential given what you've already realized with your current products. to that extent, i think TVAD's response is well reasoned.

i want to thank you again for taking such good care of me in September.

ray

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