Preamp Deal of the Century

Cabernet transformer or capacitor coupled ? Jazzdude : thanks a lot for your message. Following an email from Mick, I think the Cabernet is transformer coupled. But my english is not perfect (and I don't want to disturb him too much !) : could a Supratek expert confirm this ??? Anyway, thanks for your input. It really make me want to buy it. Best regards.

Ongkaku : Thanks for your kind answer. But I was wondering if there were a mute fuction on the PREAMP which really kills the preamp outputs when turning it on (allowing the amp to be "on" all the time). Indeed, even with the AMP muted I wouldn't turn on the preamp with the the amp turned on : you proect the speakers but not the amp itself.
Thanks and regards.
Aurel.

Slowhand : Decorative ??? Thanks for your message. I don't like very much the idea of such big "towers" just empty and unuseful !!! Anyway the point is : you also confirm that the Cabernet is transformer coupled ? Best regards.

Ongkaku : you are using a Supratek Cabernet with a Plinius
amp ! It's very interesting for a friend of mine (and maybe even for myslef although I am very please with my Plinius preamp) because we have a Plinius SA250 amp and consider a good tube preamp !

You are happy with this combo ? Plinius and Supratek are good friends :-) ?

A detail : It would be good to live the amp "on" all the time (as recommended by Plinius) and to switch the preamp "off" when not used (to avoid changing the tubes every year !). For this, is it possible to use the mute function of the Cabernet ? I mean : does this really "kill" the outputs so that it is safe to switch on the preamp while the amp is already "on" ?

Any comment would be welcome. Many thanks.

Kindest regards,

Aurel.

My concern about Supratek...

After having red all this thread, I am convinced that the Supratek preamps (I'm interested in the Cabernet) 1) look great 2) sound great. My concern in the following : I have a $$$ directly coupled SS amp and $$$ speakers. I don't want to damage them in any way ! Usually, tube preamps are not good with amps without caps because they can have a continuous component that would destroy the speakers. As I understand, Supratek preamps have output transformers and, therefore, are 100% safe from the point of view of a DC component. But what about a tube failure or any other problem ? I like the tube sound but I'm a bit scared... Any input on this ? Do you think it is as safe and as reliable a good SS preamp ?

Thanks and best regards.

Supratek Cabernet : really at the top ?

I am wondering if, as some people here say, the Cabernet is really a competitor for the "best preamp of the world". Do you think it can competes with ARC REF3, CJ ACT2, etc. ? Of course it looks better, of course it's nice that it's done by only one man and it costs twice less. But is it really one of the very best (cost no object) ?

Also a question. It has output transformers but I have seen somewhere that it is directly coupled. Isn't there a contradition here ?

Thanks and regards.