Warm, yet detailed tube preamp


Looking for a warm but yet detailed preamp to upgrade my Rouge RP1 (with NOS tubes). Rest of system is Coincident Frankenstein 300B Mk2, Zu Audio Omen Def Supreme, digital front end with PS Audio AirStream and DirectStream Sr (modified with external power supply for the analog side and different output transformers). The Rouge is a very good preamp (especially for the money), but it does definitely hold the system back at this point. I would like to add a bit more warmth of the overall sound and also add depth to the soundstage (without losing details). And I do want a remote... if nothing else, volume and mute.

 

Willing to spend about $5k used (or so).

128x128audiojan

I have the Omen Defs also and they certainly don't lack in detail. I'll bet the Luxman will be a great choice and a good fit.I actually have the RP1 myself,which is a good fit for my system at present.

@perkadin You do realize that the Omen and the Omen Def Supreme are not even the same speaker? And you might be one of the very few that ever said that Zu's lacking detail, that's what they're known for.

@audiojan Did you ever wonder why tweeters are small and woofers are large?  It's because of the different wavelengths of those sounds.  When a full range driver tries to create high and low frequencies at the same time, those differences in vibration adds distortion as the volume climbs.  That's the hard edge you are hearing (lack of warmth/depth etc.).  You can limit that distortion with clever design work, but most of that engineering either pushes out the limit of distortion, or tries to minimize the distortion itself so that its less noticeable, but I've never heard any single driver system do justice to rock and other complex music genre's at decent volumes.  The Def's might be a bit better then the Omen's, but the physical issues will remain.  Keep the music simple and polite, and they can sound extremely natural.  Rock out and you'll be running for the hills. That's why crossovers, dual concentric designs etc. exist.  I'm glad that you are happy with the new preamp, but you did nothing to solve the fundamental issue. 

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Just wanted to thank @mwood for the kind words and let the audiogon community know who this humble member is, namely Marshall Wood, bass player for Tony Bennett for over a decade and for many other artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Joe Pass, and Monty Alexander.

Although we should have done so, we did not seek him out. And he did not come to us proposing any kind of deal or endorsement. He simply called us one day and bought a Rhumba Extreme, paying full price. We believe he has been a satisfied customer since, as he later upgraded to a Rhythm. OK, back to your regularly scheduled preamp programming....