Thanks for your responses, all most helpful.
Goatwuss, your question regarding "problems" with the sound of my Hovland is most salient. It is a great preamp falling sonically somewhere between a Jadis JP 80 MC and an ARC Ref 3. As French_fries has noted, its noise-floor has currently become an issue since I began using YG speakers whose accuracy, neutrality and transparency I now find the benchmark to which I want my other components to adhere.
For me it has become the reverse Ivor Tiefenbrun syndrome. To my surprise I have found that the extraordinary accuracy of YG speakers is best complemented by equally accurate components rather than "compensatory" romantic alternatives.
Not that I mind "euphonics", but think I'm moving beyond that.
But I do intend to add more digital sources to my system.
The Boulder 1012 preamp with integral phono stage and DAC also interests me and I would be appreciative of opinions of that unit as well.
For the record, I am now running YG Anat Reference II Studios which have surely ignited this not unwelcome dilemma.
Goatwuss, your question regarding "problems" with the sound of my Hovland is most salient. It is a great preamp falling sonically somewhere between a Jadis JP 80 MC and an ARC Ref 3. As French_fries has noted, its noise-floor has currently become an issue since I began using YG speakers whose accuracy, neutrality and transparency I now find the benchmark to which I want my other components to adhere.
For me it has become the reverse Ivor Tiefenbrun syndrome. To my surprise I have found that the extraordinary accuracy of YG speakers is best complemented by equally accurate components rather than "compensatory" romantic alternatives.
Not that I mind "euphonics", but think I'm moving beyond that.
But I do intend to add more digital sources to my system.
The Boulder 1012 preamp with integral phono stage and DAC also interests me and I would be appreciative of opinions of that unit as well.
For the record, I am now running YG Anat Reference II Studios which have surely ignited this not unwelcome dilemma.