Category: Preamps
I have , based on my experience, always believed that in a system appropriately set up( high sensitivity amps, and speakers, short cable runs etc) a high quality passive preamp( discrete resistor pots, no selector switch ) sounds far purer and more transparent with virtually no compromise in terms of dynamics compared to the finest active line stages. Every time I compared a preamp to my passive, I heard the colorations immediately and simply could not live with them.
All this held true until I auditioned the just introduced Coincident Statement Line Stage. Two factors picqued my curiosity to even try it - 1. I openly admit my admiration for Coincident products, already being the proud owner of the Pure Reference speakers, Frankenstein amps and the cables and secondly the review that just appeared in Stereomojo where the reviewer not only declared it the best preamp he ever experienced but explicitly stated it beat the best passives he compared it to. I arranged with Israel Blume of Coincident to audition the line stage. Inspite of eveything I was still sceptical but after 2 minutes I was a convert. WOW! The Coincident transformed my system. While I was not previously aware of much missing, the line stage added so much more life to my set up it sounded as if my 8 watt set amps now were 80 watts. Bass , dynamics, punch all increased to a level that floored me. But what surprised me at least as much was that all these improvements did not come a a cost. Hard to believe, but the line stage sounded as natural and uncolored as the passive and almost as noise free.
I am addicted. I can't sop listening to my system. The advance in pure listening pleasure brought on by the Statement preamp is actually hard to describe it is so real. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Everything that Stereomojo reported is accurate and which I heartily agree. This thing is something else.
Associated gear Click to view my Virtual System
