Chris, that is a question many have asked. A larger transformer and power supply has helped every pre amp I have ever tried it on from the Japanese mfgrs all the way up to the high end gear from Jeff Rowland, Threshold and Mark Levinson. A nice 600 watt toroidal transformer will cost 80-120 dollars plus an outboard case to hold it, since almost no manufacturers use a power supply of that size.
Preamplifier power supply
Hi folks, should a preamplifier have a BIG (that is: an overkill power supply) to sound dynamic and authoritative? I'm asking this because some experts would say "yes" while others would say "no". Recently a well known audio journalist (Anthony Cordesmann?) said that the preamplifier doesn't have to have a big power supply because it doesn't have to deliver lots of energy (in the form of current). A preamplifier can sound "dynamic" even with very modest power supply --> for example the built in preamplifier in the Benchmark DAC. But some manufacturers rely on a truly overkill power supply in their reference preamplifiers: MBL, First Sound Audio, BAT, VTL, LAMM, Mark Levinson. So who is right?
Chris
Chris