Cary Audio Design SLP 03 for the money and SLP05 for all the money!!! |
Bat Rex 2 followed by the ARC 40th Aniversary. |
Without a doubt H- Cat.
H-Cat is a new technology that
addresses distortion, it eliminates it.
Music takes on the most organic
natural quality, whereby the room is fild
with sound.
No longer does one need to sit between the speakers for full gratification.
The room is filed with sound a flood
light effect vs a spotlight effect.
|
Rogue Audio Perseus for me and forever. |
The Placette Passive Pre-Amp is pretty spectacular if you can live with a passive. It is the most transparent I have ever heard in my system. A good friend of mine also has one. I borrowed it from him and it ruined me for life. Immediately started looking for one. |
It rarely gets mentioned but the messenger preamp is a contender. |
I am going to put the single best preamplifier I ever heard on sale. I am getting rid of my entire system due to a recent change in my financial situation. I love my system dearly. But I will miss my preamp the most.
This is a Melody P2688 preamp. Not many people has heard it. But whoever has, would probably agree that it is one of the best preamp you can buy without expending a LOT of money! |
Great query-
until I can audition the Conrad Johnson ART3, I would say it is a toss up, for my ears, between the CJ Act2 Series2 pre-amp or ARC Ref5 SE. |
All Spectral system with MIT cables and Avalon speakers. |
Since this since this thread has been resurected I will put in my 2 cents. Unlike the OP I have not heard that particular preamp but I have the Linear Tube Audio ZOTL Micro 2 and it is also a Berning design. This $1100 headphone amp is the best preamp I've ever used in my system. It blew away a 4K preamp I have. This is a no frills, not a lot to look at pre but under the hood it's something to behold. I bought this as a headphone amp and it was months later when just for kicks I tried the preamp function. There is a new highly regarded review in TAS on this one.
|
Again, I hear about Ypsilon apparently remarkable electronics. They now have a modest $25k hybrid integrated, going price could be somewhat lower. Greek know music, right? |
To directly answer the op.....
Disagree |
The Ayre K-1xe I just purchased. |
No preamp sound best to me. |
Even though I Voted #1 with my wallet for Spectral 30SV recently. #2 would be CAT heard at Axpona in April |
I used to have a CAT Legend then a friend brought over his Ypsilon and I now own an Ypsilon. I recently heard an Ypsilon Silver which was better. Too bad it is out of my price range 70K. |
Coincident Statement Preamp with the 102D tubes. |
Thoress tube preamp is a top choice. |
Cary SPL05 . Properly priced,stunning sonics. Even the SPL03 is stunning and can be tube rolled to make it sound just the way you like. I'm tube pre / ss power amp kinda guy. |
Heard? Conrad Johnson Premiere or Sonic Frontiers. I am afraid that was the last time I spent a lot of time really listening to preamps.
I have heard the Ayre and they are pretty excellent, as are the pass labs, but neither had enormous sense of scale in their imaging the best tubes can do.
What I'm very curious about now is PrimaLuna’s and do a little cap swapping. :) Unbeatable price and rather easy to roll coupling caps with.
Best,
Erik
|
ML 26 if you can get past the CAMACS... |
'Been a while. Any conclusions, e.g., from Ralph? Is it still a "contender"?
|
Mbovaird
>>>>McIntosh 2301's are the best I've heard so far.<<<<
Is this a whoops? Thread is about preamps. Did you mean 2300? |
It takes 30,000.00 to finally make the Audio Research sound good, wow I'll stick with my preamp. |
McIntosh 2301's are the best I've heard so far. |
More specifically, the VAC Signature Mk IIa. Outstanding. |
Another vote for Supratek Cabernet Dual! |
Another vote for Supratek Cabernet Dual! |
Have to pick two.
Veloce LS-1
BAT REX |
I'm amazed that Ayre isn't mentioned |
|
^^ Yes, and the English language assigns a definition to the word 'best' in that there can. Be. Only. One.
Yet all manufacturers will tell you they have the best. They can't all be, so they must all be lying, as are all the reviewers, dealers and distributors. This is such endemic problem in the audio world, audiophiles are so used to it, that the only way to tell how something sounds is to play it in your own system.
The funny thing about that is that the objectivists and subjectivists find themselves in the same boat. The spec sheets certainly don't tell the story, so you have to take it home and play it. |
All these best and worst threads are useless. They all end to the same conclusion, a list of all manufacturers on the planet. |
|
Ypsilon, bar none. Jallen |
Kennyt I agree on the Ref 40! |
Audio Research 40th Anniversary, I had the Ref 5 and the 40th made the Ref 5 seem thin, it is simply amazing! |
Call me suspicious but when I first noticed this post a week ago, I too thought all the Berning praise was a bit odd. Especially since the OP was supposedly seeking opinions from others.
After rereading the OP, it seems to me, he's already made up his mind, Berning is the best?
Of course we know how these threads always go, ask for an opinion and whatever each poster owns, it's the best! |
Bill, you are not the only one that noticed that... |
I'll take your word for it. I don't mean to cast unwarranted aspersions. I think it was a weird way to position the thread but I'm happy to let it go.
Bill |
I never even for a moment thought you were inferring that he was pitching speakers by the fact he didn't mention his company and I surely got that you suspect that there may somehow be a cozy relationship for financial gain between him and David Berning, the reason I responded. In any case I feel pretty certain that Berning would be unaware of it, no conspiracy theories or hidden agendas on this one my friend :) |
Tubegroover: I never said he's pitching speakers. I said he appears to be pitching Berning, with whom he has a commercial affiliation. That affiliation raises a red flag for me. Whether Berning's designs are SOTA, or whether I've heard them, is completely irrelevant. |
Wrm57, I can't speak for the OP but the fact that he didn't mention his company and that he disclosed that he was a speaker manufacturer doesn't throw up a red flag or indicate a hidden agenda from my perspective. I think the guy is genuinely impressed with Berning and if you're not aware, the amp he mentioned was voted amplification component of the year in TAS, for what that's worth, SOTA regardless of price. As in all things audio, some will agree and others will feel differently. There is NO question that Berning's designs are technically cutting edge and original. If you get the chance do a bit of research or listening if you haven't already. |
What is your speaker company which showed with Berning? |
|
This is a weird thread. The OP says he's not selling anything, then pitches a preamp from a manufacturer with whom he has a commercial relationship. He asks for opinions on "best single best preamp you've ever heard," but asks that we listen to the one he's pitching before answering. To me, that sounds like selling. |
the preamplifier nut is one of the hardest to crack.
I really enjoyed my Threshold FET-10/HL linestage - though a little dark, it never got in the way of the music. The matching -10/PC phono preamp was good, but I've heard better.
I'm now running a Quicksilver full-function and found it's a good balance between musicality and audiophile tricks 'n' treats. Sure, I've heard more transparent/detailed gear, but the Quicksilver is a non-fatiguing good 'all-rounder'. Perhaps once I've upgraded my front end I'll check out some better units. |
A Berning proto type tube pre-amp with a tube switching power supply with a pair of Berning prototype amps was part of a system with the closest approximation of live music I've personally heard, both precursors of the current Berning lineup which I haven't heard. |
Essence Jasper Reference preamp. Only 7 were made. Mine has been modded with carbon nanotubes. |
|
