Have used several SS preamps from Krell, Spectral, Mac, Musical Fidelity & vintage Tandberg. I can emphatically say I personally prefer a tube preamp/tube amp setup to compliment my spakers and the rest of my kit however, I recently got to try an Audia Flight Linestage w/phono card that was without question the best SS line/pre I've ever experienced and for all the reasons previously spoken about. The power amp always holds the dynamics & soundscape card but this preamp was A. dead quiet B. is fully ballanced (thats my jam) C. added zero coloring that I could detect 4. visually, looks are stunning and it has the feel of a fine precision instrument. Now, I know little about this company other than what I've now read online after playing around with this thing but I could own one for sure. It would have to play well with my other gear but, looking at the specs and knowing it has an adjustable gain, it would be worth a shot. Maybe next time... just my opinion
What qualities stand out in really good solid state preamps?
Recently I posted on the Herron HL-1, asking people what they thought, how it compared, etc. It's been sold and that's ok. The search continues.
But it raises a question I'd like to ask folks:
What attributes do you look for in a good solid state preamp?
Some qualities — quietness, durability, seem pretty obvious.
But what other criteria do you use to differentiate between solid state preamps?
How can they differ and what matters to you?
Please let me know!
P.S. As I've looked around, I've begun to learn more about some of the legendary preamps — made by companies such as Threshold, Ayre, Bryston, Pass, Apt-Holman, and others. It's good to have these names as references, but it would be even more useful if I knew what these brands conveyed, sonically. I've played with the idea of getting a newer Schiit preamp and then I wonder -- what if there's a "classic" preamp out there, used? What would it deliver that was worth searching for?