Suggestions for a holographic preamp?
I'm looking to replacing my Herron Audio tube line stage with something else, not because of a problem with the sound, but for a few other reasons.
I do both digital and analog, and have a Herron Audio tube phono preamp. My power amp is an MSB S-200, which is awesome, and my speakers are Marten Parker Duos, which are wonderful for a deep, holographic soundstage that I like so much.
I listen mostly to rock and reggae, and I'm looking to keep the price under $10K US, and I'm fine with a used one as well.
I get the feeling that I will need a tube preamp to get that holographic sound, but perhaps there are some SS ones that do as good a job?
The fellow I work with at The Music Room suggested a ModWright LS-100 or a used PS Audio BHK preamp; I've researched and they both look like they'd fit the bill, but I'd like to hear your suggestions, too!
@kennyc No, that’s not it at all. Midrange is tonality and holographic is soundstage width, depth, height, and image placement within and throughout that space. Two totally different things. |
OP, Sounds like you may simply want a system that images well... not necessarily holographic. Holographic has such depth of soundstage and pinpoint imaging that instruments are suspended in three dimensions. So for instance an instrument can be suspended in space that takes up a two foot sphere located five feet off the ground half way back in the sound stage, the kick drums a dozen feet behind. Anyway, I have heard a number of these. I’d recommend hearing one, just to see if that is something you want. Maybe you do. The big Wilson speakers with high end solid state are good at this as are Burmeister. My system has excellent imaging and natural / musical sound. Folks that have heard my system have commented that it has outstanding imaging. It is an Audio Research system. I highly recommend Audio Research preamps. Very natural, musical and great as imaging (speaker dependent). You can go used if you want to reduce cost. |
I don't understand. Your current system provides a deep holographic soundscape so your preamp is fully capable in this respect. You say you want to replace it, but not for sound reason and then you don't say what those reasons are. So why do you want to replace your current preamp? BTW, most rock and reggae are multitrack recordings with synthetic soundscapes. That can be pleasant and exciting, but really not holographic. I think you want a vast and deep soundstage with good imaging. |
@onhwy61 - good question, and I've got a very strange answer. It's the remote; this ain't just any remote, this is a cheap piece of plastic that's 3 1/2 inches long and 2 inches wide. It weighs about as much as a cheap piece of plastic that size. It falls between cushions a lot. I've never seen anything like it; I think I read on a forum that originally his gear didn't have remote, but his customers kept requesting one, so this is it; he's showing he was putting his effort into designing and building gear, not remotes for 'em. Still, it's got 10 buttons plus volume up and down. But these are custom programmed and a universal remote will not work with the preamp. As of now, he says he can be contacted if one needs to buy a replacement remote, but when it's down to one guy and probably a limited supply of remotes.... So I don't need a preamp to better the performance of my Herron, just to at least equal it, but without me having to worry about going remoteless, and as often as I use the mute and volume controls, that would not do. |
