TRL Dude Dilemna


Based on all the high praise for the TRL Dude preamp here and other sites, I took a chance and bought one from a local A-goner to see if it could displace an Air Tight ATC-2 preamp currently in my system. The two amps I currently use are a McIntosh MC-402 and Viva 845 SET Monos. It turns out that the Dude is not compatible with either amps due to an impedance mismatch. So I only got to hear the Dude in a compromised performance mode.
I was not quite wanting to give up on the Dude yet given everyone else's enthusiasm about its performance. I am considering the Samson monos as a natural match. I can convince myself that the Samson's could be better than the MC402..My real issue is that I would have to give up the Vivas. Not sure I can make the leap that a solid state amp will satisfy me as much as those SET Vivas. Then there is the leap of faith that I cannot hear the Samsons with purchasing them....
Has anyone replaced their SET amp with Samsons and remained satisfied with the decision? My speakers are the Green Mountain Audio Continuum 3 which are about 90db efficient with an impedance 6.5 Ohms, +/- 0.75 Ohms 150Hz to 20kHz. Thanks for your input..
tellefsen

Showing 2 responses by bugredmachine

"12-18-11: Charles1dad

Good points, impedance matching matters.The Dude with my 300b SET was exceptional(once we replaced the 6sn7 tube in the power supply) very dynamic,lively and large scale with good tone."

Did you give me back my original tube Charles? I see a Gold Aero 6SN7 tube in the power supply.
Someone mentioned Aesthetix gear. I spent a month auditioning a Janus $10k pre loaned to me just for play and it could not hold a candle to the Dude. Try as I might to give it every chance it was clean and clear but not 3 dimensional. And the bass could not even come close to the Dude.

I'll have to have Paul give me instructions to measure the voltage.