2. amps-preamps
  3. 180439-151312

Tube preamp options

My system from the preamp on consists of a rouge rp-7, rogue m180 monoblocks, and vandersteen quatro wood speakers. My main source is a brinkmann Bardo through a Rogers PA-2 phono pre. It all sounds great. But there's that itch, you know? I get tremendous soundstage but not that much depth. Clarity is great, mids are nice, bass is excellent. But it doesn't quite have that in the room sound that I'm looking for. The RP7 sounded too solid state and analytical for me out of the box with the stock JJ tubes so I've done extensive rolling. Been through all sorts of NOS tubes and landed on amperex as they seem to have the best balance of warmth and clarity. My thought is, maybe I can find a pre that has those attributes out of the gate without all the rolling. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of being able to tailor the sound with trying different tubes but I feel like maybe there's a brand out there who's house sound I like better. I haven't listened to anything more yet but brands that are on the list to check out are Backert labs, maybe a used ARC Ref 6, VTL, VAC. There are a million little boutique brands tho and I'm asking what people have heard in the 10k price range, new or used, that might be a good fit for me and why. 

Thanks! 

rmdmoore

Showing 1 response by orfeo_monteverdi

orfeo_monteverdi's avatar
orfeo_monteverdi
41 posts
 

[Please forgive my poor English]

Without hesitation: Aries Cerat Incito tube preamplifier (approx. $10K).

  • Ultra-quiet zero feedback Single Ended Triode (SET) preamp with transistor-like figures.
  • Big and heavy (33Kg !). 3 chokes in the circuit. Huge power.
  • Has convinced even those who came to believe in passive-preamp exclusively.
  • gobsmacked all reviewers who tested it, including Christiaan Punter, excellent Dutch reviewer (hifi-advice, tested the 'S' version, with separate power supply, more expensive).
  • It blew away my YBA 1 preamp (separate power supply).
  • plays well beyond its price
  • SOUND: lots of timbre, body, naturalness AND transparency, dynamic, speed, 3D wide image, sharply focused: the best of both world. Does NOT sound like a typical tube preamp (rosy-view, etc). Can the low-hand; no other zero-feedback SET preamp can.
  • no tube rolling allowed: they used a Siemens tube of super-high trans-conductance. But you can fine-tune the bias.

It was the more impressive upgrade my system had.

It is also the most stable and reliable hifi component I have ever had.

I wish I had discover that extremely talented manufacturer sooner. Built in Cyrpus by an aeronautic engineer who worked on Dassault systems.

 

Here a picture of the 'Incito S' version (separate PS). An 'Incito' (basic) version also exists: embedded PS; it is the 'basic' version that I own (approx. $K10-11)

 

If necessary, plan a trip to discover it. It will save you years in your audiophile quest, I promise. I wish I had discovered it sooner.

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