2. amps-preamps
  3. 128810-1642

Specific Pre-Amp advice


I would really like to get some help from the Forum. Late 2017 early 2018 I am getting a new pre-amp. My options to hear gear are low (common issue). Probably be buying blind which I have done in the past in conjunction with research. Here is the run down. 

Budget: 2500 possibly pushed to 3k. Looking for used gear (pretty much ruling out new).

1. I am leaning heavily toward a tube pre.
2. I would like a remote but its not a deal breaker if it gets me better SQ
3. Line stage only. Don't really need a phono stage as I have a stand alone
4. It needs to be active. 
5. Feeding SS amp with 100k input impedance 
6. Primary used with Vinyl front end. Would like it to handle three sources. (Radio, Dac/CD and Input for TT)
7. 2 channel only no pass through needed or wanted. 
8. Single Ended RCA Connection. My amp does not have true balance connections 

Current System 

VPI Prime 
SS Aida Cart
MS Nova Phomoma 
Exposure 17
Exposure Dual Reg 4
Vienna Acoustic Mozart Grands 

I am looking to get more resolution. A more liquid sound. Bigger soundstage and get more of the recording space into my room. 

My preference is for an open/transparent neutral sound slightly tipped to the warm side in the highs. Slight roll off maybe. I like a fast quick musical sound with tight quick bass. Not looking for tube romance or rounded bass. I absolutely would like to stay away from bright sounding gear. Also super etched is not to my thing. I fall in the musicality camp. 

Any suggestions that would help me achieve this sound would be appreciated. These qualities defiantly take system matching into account. Pretty happy right now but I think I can do better.



darkstar1

Showing 2 responses by micatel

micatel
7 posts
 
The ARC gear I had was much warmer sounding than the ss pre's.  The BAT I have is very neutral since changing interconnects to the amp (the mids were actually slightly forward with the cables I had been using for the ARC gear).  I can understand how some describe BAT as warm since it never seems to "strain" regardless of volume (great headroom).  

micatel
7 posts
 
I made the jump from solid state to tube pres with ARC gear (SP6B then LS17) years ago driving ss amplification.  I liked the tube "laid back presentation" with silky highs but the mids were slightly masked and I lived with the low end bloom.  The channel separation and resulting imaging was not what I was used to having had dual mono ss pre's (ML and Krell).  Tube rolling improved the sound overall and it was fun to listen to (albeit with "euphonic coloration").   

Last year I went out and listened to an LS25 and some of the latest ARC gear...  I heard a friend's dual mono Balanced Audio Technology tube pre (with full access remote control) and bought it on the spot (VK-31SE can be found used for under $2K now).  The pre offers balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA ins/outs. For me, it offers the most realistic sound I've heard yet with the best attributes of tubes/solid state combined to reproduce music for under $2K.  The build quality is outstanding. The downside; this unit uses (4) 6H30 "super tubes" - sources are extremely limited so no tube rolling (and they're expensive).  I'm told to expect five year tube life so the life cost is manageable.   
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