Solid State Preamp to replace tube unit


I currently own a CJ tube preamp. Ive always owned tube preamps and I would like to get my first solid state preamp.I am fed up with buying expensive hard to find tubes that last 3 months or new production tubes with that not so great sound. I pine for consistency. I probably wont sell my CJ I'll just keep it. My power amps are NAD M23 for the summer and CJ Premiere 12's for the winter.

Since I dont dabble in the solid state world I am not sure what to get. I figure since this is my first SS unit 4-5k preowned??. Some brands I have considered CODA< Pass, AYRE, Classe, Bel Canto, Krell etc. Note: I have tried the Parasound and Benchmark but they didnt do it for me. I dont like anayltical sterile sound. If it is a touch warm/colored that is probably good as I am coming from a very warm CJ tube unit.

Must haves are a remote with balance control. Multiple outputs (XLR and RCA). I have an outboard phono pre. Thank you for reading and for your suggestions.

jimbones

Showing 1 response by gbmcleod

@ambrusso

Keep in mind that tubes have a great sense of dimensionality, and solid state will not have that to anywhere near that degree, although you may have more "solid’ bass with solid state. I have an NAD C399 (Class D) and I like it, but I find it less "soulfus" than NAD’s non-class D units. And clearly it has less true dimensionality than say, my Convergent Technology, or VAC preamps.