Parasound JC2 is a great value.
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I’m very happy with my McIntosh C2600 tube preamp. It offers that well-known McIntosh warmth, built-in DAC and those alluring blue meters. Also, it should maintain it’s value as good if not better than any other brand. |
Audio Note and Radu Tarta! |
Below $1500 you can't do better than a tube pre-amp from Frank Van Alstine. Still designing and building great stuff in Minnesota USA. |
Depends on the sound you are looking for. Many mentioned above are very good preamps. I prefer point-to-point wiring and custom parts that most of the above do not offer. Then there is tube types such as 12AX7, 6DJ8, 6SN7 and direct heated triode designs. Each do something completely different. What price range are you thinking about?
Happy Listening. |
What about McIntosh?...no Mac fans out there?
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I’ve been very happy with Simaudio. Had a 350 P which I really liked and I am now just selling because I upgraded to the P5 Limited addition |
That's good, many choices. You calmed me down. What about tube Japanese preamps ?
And if having to choose one company that makes both great preamps and power amps, besides I am sure some European solid state, what would your choice be ? VAC and CAT ? |
I'll second the very quiet noise floor of the Veloce Lithio series II, battery powered....loved it. Liked it better than my VAC that preceded it.Now using VTL 6.5, v2 and loving it.
Are you using mostly single ended, or balanced? Need HT bypass, or to switch sources? Volume control? Tubed or SS amp, need to match impedance...lots of variable, but all above are great preamps, with good recommendations....must be hard to find local auditions. Good luck |
Audio Research, Allnic, Moon, BAT, VTL |
The new dual chassis VTL is superb
+++ for Jim White at Aesthetix
ARC always in the hunt, love my ref5se
the Backert is also hyper affordable
sleeper in the USA but Brinkmann doing some great things....
in a fire and forget SS the Ayre KX-R is pretty amazing
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Audio Note. Or a custom designed preamp by Aldo at Deja Vu Audio.
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I've been using the Veloce Lithio 2.0 for some time. Although no longer marketed, Vytas still supports it. He did an upgrade for me shortly after I got to Texas a couple years ago, different batteries, some other changes. I never tried it with a standard 6H30, have been using NOS DR Reflecktors- it is pretty stunning. I feel no need to change. It has the midrange magic of the Lamm L2 Reference but more information at the frequency extremes.
I think there are lots of good preamps and line stages out there. |
@twoleftears
+1.
Backert Labs changed my perception of "active" preamp. Hard to believe that an active can be so transparent and dynamic at the same time. |
Shindo, Luxman, Nagra all make excellent preamps.
CAT also makes an excellent preamp.
I have heard all in a system I am intimately familiar with or my home system.
What is your listening experience with Pass, Rowland and Lamm? |
Inna - What makes a "great" preamp to you ? Hard to make suggestions . Only you can decide that |
Well, first I meant great not just excellent, and second I meant compared to their power amps. Sure, Lamm are excellent. |
Well, I'd add Jadis and second the Shindo and VAC recommendations. But I must have missed something, maybe in another thread--who is claiming that Lamm, Rowland and Pass don't make great active preamps? My experience with Lamm alone would dispute that claim. |
There are still many great preamps made, what is your budget? |
In a lower price category, I have enjoyed my Vincent pre. I have not owned a hybrid before, and am satisfied with the results. |
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My faves for ENTIRELY different reasons:
Conrad JohnsonAyreCAT
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ARC and Linear Tube Audio are both excellent also.
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Balanced Audio Technology (sound great and have a very useful user-interface), Prima Luna, Audio Research, Convergent Audio Technology, VAC, etc. BTW, Pass has gotten great reviews for their statement preamps. |
Shindo, Luxman, Nagra, Leben all make great preamps |
