Hi Andrew,
There are only a couple of companies who only make one product-a preamp. The slam dunk best of these is Audible Illusions. A “class A” Stereophile component for decades. With the continuing review “as good as any regardless of price”. I have never read this comment for any other component. For ever, I only used a passive preamp addicted to the unmatched transparency. When I finally bit the bullet and bough the active AI, I found I was wrong. The AI has all the transparency of a passive with the pronounced ability to look into the music. It is one of the few preamps that has the simplicity, purity and magic of the single ended triode. Only one tube per channel. The newest model is $5200. A factory refurbished unit can be found for about $2500. Believe AI has sold something like 60k preamps over the years. I consider a preamp as the heart of a system. Also, that the vast majority of preamps are overly complex and colored. I love the true heart in my system and would never change. My music is too important and central in my life... especially now!
There are only a couple of companies who only make one product-a preamp. The slam dunk best of these is Audible Illusions. A “class A” Stereophile component for decades. With the continuing review “as good as any regardless of price”. I have never read this comment for any other component. For ever, I only used a passive preamp addicted to the unmatched transparency. When I finally bit the bullet and bough the active AI, I found I was wrong. The AI has all the transparency of a passive with the pronounced ability to look into the music. It is one of the few preamps that has the simplicity, purity and magic of the single ended triode. Only one tube per channel. The newest model is $5200. A factory refurbished unit can be found for about $2500. Believe AI has sold something like 60k preamps over the years. I consider a preamp as the heart of a system. Also, that the vast majority of preamps are overly complex and colored. I love the true heart in my system and would never change. My music is too important and central in my life... especially now!