Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which?

01-23-07: Weez
If it were me, I'd buy a Wyetech Labs Pearl and be done with it.

So the Pearl is better than the Opal?
Does Wyetech Labs know this?

Just call Stan Klyne at Klyne Audio Arts and have him buld for you what you want. Just doesn't get much better than this, unless you buy FM Acoustics.

Any Shindo preamp would satisfy you. Listen to Shindo Petrus or Giscours if you want the best. Shindo cannot even be lumped in with other manufactuers. I recommend you listen and find out.

Gregm, thanks for the feedback on the dart vs FM.

2 questions.

you mention the dart pre was 'as satisfying' as the 255 with the dart amp; was it more similar sounding to the 255 or was there significant differences in the balance?

i'm not sure you have one of the FM Acoustics phono stages, but if you do.....were you able to compare the dart internal phono stage to the FM?

Herve used the big FM Acoustics phono stage as his reference when he designed the pre and phono stage so i would expect there to be considerable similarity.

FM Acoustics is phenominal gear.

Mike --
the Dart was similar to the FM in the mid to upper mid range. In the high frequencies, the FM showed more energy. Note that where details of the music were concerned, the Dart did not require you to "strain your ears" i.e. the Dart+Dart was not musically lossy or lacked homogeneity. Cymbals for example had more energy and slower decay (i.e. they were perceptibly present longer) with FM.

Also please note that the speakers were adequately set-up and the amplfication homogenious enough in both cases so there where no aberrations such as, the percussion being in front of the violins in an orchestra, for example...

Riaa: haven't made the comparison, unfortunately. The FM (122 in this case) has 2 user user-controlled de-emphasis pots in front which allow versatility -- but would probably complicate comparisons (unless maybe if set flat on the FM?)!
Cheers