2. amps-preamps
  3. 190562-2906

Preamp suggestions for Atma-Sphere Class D Monoblocks

As I impatiently await the arrival of my Atma-Sphere class-d monos, I am writing to solicit opinions from experienced members on this site. Balanced inputs and outputs as well as the ability to connect a subwoofer are important. Headphone amp would be nice but not critical. Ditto for built-in phono. These are some of the tube and solid state units I am considering (not necessarily exhaustive):

  1. Atma-Sphere MP-3 mk3.3
  2. Cary SLP-05 (ultimate edition, if I can find a pristine used pair at a good price)
  3. Modwright LS-100
  4. PrimaLuna EVO 400
  5. Supratek - Champagne or 6SN7 Cabernet - I have no idea what the difference between these two are and the website is not helpful at all
  6. Anthem STR
  7. Benchmark LA-4/HPA-4
  8. Bryston BR-20 (or one of their purely analog variants - BP-19?) - I am hesitant to bundle streaming and dac into a preamp
  9. NAD M66
  10. ?

I will initially use the Bel Canto DAC2.8 as a dac and preamp with an Auralic Aries G1.1 as the streamer. My speakers are Totem Acoustic Forest Signatures, sub is a REL s/510 that I seldom use. I am unsure whether I can use the speaker level connections with the A-S monos (my current Bel Canto Ref510S class d amp has a chassis grounding screw to which I connect the REL’s ground wire).

Philosophically speaking, I have owned a wide range of equipment over the years - everything from "measurements above all" type gear (a full Benchmark stack), a few tube pieces (PrimaLuna, Tavish Design, Rogue), Class A amplification (Pass Labs XA-30.8) and a completely active Genelec 8351b based system. I seem to be slowly but surely gravitating towards subjectively great sounding gear, regardless of how they measure - the Totems are a case in point. However, I don’t want to find that I have moved too far in any one direction. At the end of the day, I value realism and emotional connection more than the ability to deconstruct the music but I don’t want to listen to a sloppy system that homogenizes everything. I’m sure this is all clear as mud! It is however, a reflection of where I am at the end of 28 years of being on this hamster wheel. All thoughts and suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance.

srama

Showing 2 responses by armstrod

armstrod
619 posts
 

I have the Atma-Sphere Class Ds and run them with Ralph's MP-3 3.3, a great combo as you would expect. I bought mine without remote and Ralph was able to retrofit it with no problem.

I previously owned a Modwright LS-100 and ran it with a pair of Atma-Sphere M-60s, but sold it before the M-60s were replaced by the Class Ds. It's a terrific preamp and sounded great with a lot of amps, but I thought the MP-3 had better inner detail and benefitted from being fully balanced.

The preamp I've kept as my one spare is an LTA MZ2, which I believe is an incredible bargain. I can only imagine the LTA MicroZotl is even better, just as the Atma MP-1 is likely better than the MP-3. It all depends on how much money you want to spend.   :-)

armstrod
619 posts
 

Srama,

Between the LS-100 and the MP-3 I thought soundstage and realism were roughly equal, but I definitely preferred the tonality of the MP-3, which is likely due to the reasons Ralph outlines above. One other variable is that the LS-100 is tube rectified and the rectifier has a definite effect on the sonics. I ended up liking the 5U4GB much more than the stock 5AR4. The MP-3 is solid state rectified and eliminates that variable.

I failed to mention before that I also owned a Don Sachs DS2, sort of the forerunner to the Raven. It was terrific in its own right but more romantic than the LS100. I owned them at the same time and slightly preferred the LS-100, but if the Raven is as much better than the DS2 as most (including Don Sachs himself, who should know) are saying, that probably changes the equation.

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