2. amps-preamps
  3. 1073856084

The last valve pre amp I'll ever need.

Guys, you'e helped before and I've even followed you're advise. Firstly on a quality class A power amp( My Pass Labs Aleph 3 will have to be prised from my stiff fingers on my death bed) and a choice of cable manufacturer(Acoustic Zen) Perhaps I'll be third time as lucky. I enjoy all types of music, from opera (someone has to) singer songwriters, Alt country, Blues and some Jazz. I like unfatiguing detail, a wide, deep soundstage, an even response through the frequency range. I am not fussed about pinpoint imaging and volume that will loosen fillings. My current system is:
LP12/Origon Live Silver Taper/Kotrapunkt B
Shanling CDT 100
Creek T43 tuner
Graaf WFB valve pre
Pass Labs Aleph 3
Acoustic Zen cables/ Kemp and Merlin power cables
Living Voice Avatar speakers
The Graaf is very good and I love the benefits of a valve pre, but it's not the best in the world.I will be building myself a set of 300b monoblocks in my retirement in a few years, a World Audio design made as a kit over here in the UK, so I'm looking for something for them also. The gear is all single ended so balanced is not necessary.
So whats it to be guys, Audio Research 25, conrad Johnson Premier 17, BAT, Hovland, or something else. Thanks again in anticipation and greetings from over the pond
david12

Showing 1 response by bigkidz

bigkidz
3,415 posts
 
I am about to audition some of the preamps stated here but I gotta say that when I added the Tom Evans Vibe SS preamp into my system, Whoa! It blew away the Pass X-1 I was using with my Pass X-250 amp. Blew away the Blue Circle G-3 MKII. It does not have the tube mids as the BC which BTW I love but it added width of soundstage, most natural and detailed sonics that my Pass X-250 has ever produced (I was even thinking about selling the Pass recently), separation of notes and vocals like nothing I ever heard before. Yeah you loose the softer tube sound but the Vibe is not SS sounding just natural, and most people feel the Pass X-1 is natural sounding, well not like this at all. The Vibe is almost like a passive preamp with some gain. I wish I could get my hands on a First Sound to compare but no dealer I have contacted will let me audition one yet. The Hovland is very very nice but does lack some of the lower bass extension and if you look up my thread as to why Hovland owners sold their units, it was do to hum. I have no first hand experience though. Next on my list is Joule Electra, Lamm, and CJ.

Happy Listening.
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