2. amps-preamps
  3. 1402500030

Need advice on a tube line stage

I'm looking to add a tube line stage to the herd. It will partner with a Bryston 4B SST2 amp through Thiel CS2.4 and GoldenEar Triton 2 loudspeakers. Primary source is a Cambridge Audio 840C CD player.

Budget is ~ $1,500 up to maybe $2,500 (but that end of the budget would probably force me to sell my current Parasound JC2).

Some options appear to be:

Trancendent Sound Grounded Grid (new $900)
Audio by Van Alstine Transcendence 9 (new 1,400)
Modwright SWL 9.0SE (mint used $1,450)
Quicksilver Remote Control Line Stage (new $1,600)
Audio by Van Alstine FET Valve CF (new $1,900)
conrad-johnson Classic 2SE (new $2,200)
Audible Illusions L3 (new $2,500 with some $ voodoo)

I would like a slightly more liquid presentation than I currently get with my current rig. More "musical". I no longer value extreme transparency as much as I did, partially because I'm no longer mixing records and don't need my system to double as a reference. That said, I don't want anything overly soft or veiled.

Thoughts?
ja2austintx

Showing 3 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Ja2austintx Hi, just to give another direction idea to you. Your Cambridge CDP has a very nice low output impedance at <50ohms and over 2v output this will drive virtually anything.

And your Bryston 4B SST2 has switchable gain of 1v or 2v input sensitivity for full output power.
If you select 1v on it and use this $99 passive pre that has a quality Alps Blue Velvet volume control. You will have more than enough gain, and the most transparent/dynamic sound, with most likely a more liquid presentation than what you are using at the moment.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Passive-preamplifier-ALPS-Potentiometers-/190836562928?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item2c6ebedbf0

Cheers George

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Ja2austintx
It will still work great, but you won't get a great impedance match with your amp, as it ratio will be around 1:1 It may ever so slightly act as a bottleneck and reduce the transient impact just a touch, but this will be so slight you may not even hear it.
And use low capactitance interconnects from it to the amp (which most quality ones are anyway) <100pf (picofarad) per foot.

A 10kohm passive with your amp would be better, and your source will drive anything being <50ohms output impedance.

It will still be interesting to hear what you think even with the 25kohm passive.

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Ja2austintx
I hope you have 10kohm log value passive pot, as your poweramp is quite low in input impedance.
If any higher than 10k it won't be a great impedance match into your poweramp, gain will be fine, but impedance not very good.

As for inputs, the one I linked to (above) has 4 inputs with the better rotary selector, and great quality Alps Blue Velvet pot

PS: It's just been pointed out to me, for a few dollars more this seller has the same unit but with even better disctrete switched 1% metal film resistor volume pot, even better than the Alps Blue Velvet.

[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Passive-Preamplifier-Stepped-attenuator-passive-preamp-/271424718624?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item3f322c8720[/url]

Cheers George
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