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Tube Buffer

Despite using balanced XLR output from DAC to Peachtree Grand Pre, I find digital harshness remains until I engage the Peachtree's dual 12AU7 tube buffer section. However, the Grand Pre sucks as an analog preamp and needs replacing for that reason. I love the functionality of the Musical Fidelity M8Pre, which also has a good phono section, but I fear that as a solid state device it will simply pass the harshness down the chain. Rogue Audio RP7 is a tube preamp which would presumably kill any digital glare, but has no phono stage. The Rogue RP5 is a lesser device overall, but does include a phono stage plus, of course, tubes. Questions: (1) sonically, how much better is the RP7 than the RP5 (considerably, according to TAS)? (2) Does there exist some relatively inexpensive tube buffer device which can be placed between DAC and the solid state M8Pre? Really not in the market for an outboard $2k phono preamp.
hickamore

Showing 1 response by stereo5

stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,524 posts
 
I owned a Rogue RP-5 tube preamp and it is a great preamp. The phono section is very versatile and TAS also LOVED the RP-5 which they tested a couple of years ago. Unless you run all balanced, I see no reason to get the RP-7. I had great results changing out the 4 JJ stock tubes with Mullard CV4003 tubes per recommendation of Rogue. The preamp was always dead quiet, even with the Mullard NOS tubes. It is a very musical preamp and it even has a remote.

The problem is the Peachtree Audio you have.  My friend had the 225wpc integrated and it sounded cold and harsh unless he used the tube buffer output.   He ended up trading it for something else but I don't know what he bought.
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