World's best Pre-amp for $10K and above?


Looking for the HOLY GRAIL in Audio? Here it is. I'm in my early sixties and retiring to my final system, which I was going to purchase during the past twelve months and decided to put on the brakes, and investigate whats out there as the most advanced engineered high end audio products for the money in the market place. As far as I'm concerned, the two top engineers in the world for the best Amp and Preamp at low prices are Bent Holter with Hegel Audio in Norway and Roger Sanders with Sanders Sound in Colorado. Why? The Hegel P-30 Pre-amp is a game changer, and will easily compete with Pre-amps at $30K and above. The FM Acoustics 268 Preamp that retails for $107K, uses a technology thats called "feedforward" instead of feedback.
Amps and Pre-amps since the early 80's have all used either global feedback, zero feedback or local feedback to filter out noise and lower distortion by sending and filtering the feedback current to filter capacitors or or an extra filter transformer. A small amount of voltage feedback occurs at the output stage in amps and preamps which goes back into the parts and boards causing noise and distortion which smears the quality of the music.The best Preamps in the world all have S/N noise ratios at 125 db's or above. The Hegel P-30 Preamp uses the same feedforward technology as FM Acoustics but is a more current design that Bent Holter calls "Sound Engine" patented technology that eliminates feedback which is why the P-30 Preamp has a S/N ratio of 132 db's, which has never been accomplished in high end audio with a Preamp costing $10K or below. The same applies to Roger Sanders Magtech amplifier which uses a patented linear voltage regulator that controls and regulates voltage with no excess voltage going back into the amp causing heat and distortion problems. The amp puts out 900 watts into 4ohms. Krell makes a pair of mono blocs that also use a similar voltage regulator. The amps are $100K a pair. HERES THE PERFECT SOLID STATE SYSTEM. A Hegel P-30 Preamp. A Sanders Magtech amp, A pair of Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers. The worlds finest SACD player, the Playback Designs MPS-5, designed by Andreas Koch, who invented SACD technology when he worked for Sony. He built the worlds first outboard DAC in 1982 and is legend in digital engineering. The MPS-5 is the most analog sounding player on the market which costs $17K. The Hegel P-30 is only $7500.00 and the Magtech amp is only $5K. The Aerials are $10K. Buy the solid core cables from Morrow Audio. They are low capacitance cables which matches up perfectly with these components. This combination sounds like the very best tube and solid state gear on the market. The whole system will cost about $42K but will sound as good as any system costing $200K. All of these products are game changers. If you want better looking cabinets and faceplates, then blow your money, but you will not get better performance for what this system has to offer. It is the HOLY GRAIL you are searching for and there is no better combination for the total cost of the system.
audiozen

Showing 10 responses by knghifi

The reason you hear those differences is often nothing to do with voicing, but rather distortion
Interesting! The difference one hears between a Duelund and Mundorf cap is due to distortion? So in a PERFECT design, should a Duelund and Mundorf cap sound the same?

I've always assume any designer, whether competent or incompetent, will use (voice) whatever parts sound best to him.
Hmm! I was just using caps as an example. I was referring to everything that goes into a final product.

Customers don't just buy a design but a finished product that is built from a group of SELECTED parts. Just the fact you chose solder, wire, transformer, cap, tube socket, fuse ... A over B, you are essentially voicing the final product.

I've spoken to many "competent" designers and they prefer point to point wiring in that it's easier to test different parts to archieve the desire sound.
To take it a step further, end users voice their products with tweaks such as tube rolling, PC, fuses ... I find the very best design needs proper parts to maximize it's potential.
In order to support a tube product, with the exception to Shindo, manufacturers need a large inventory of tubes. Also manufacturers expect MAJORITY of owners to roll so don't use rare NOS for stock.

One of the reasons later Sig MKIIa has a 8416 / 6922 switch is to allow more rolling options. You have no idea the abilities of your Ren Mk III with stock tubes.
08-20-12: Charles1dad
In the current 6Moons there is a review of the 75,000 dollar Tenor linestage. The designer Michael Broeck has a very interesting discussion concerning negative feedback,odd order distortion,natural sound and 'natural' distortion and the human ear-brain processing of sound.

He attempts to explain why most very low distortion amplifiers often sound very unnatrual and unconvincing musically and why the human ear detects and identifies this as incorrect. Food for thought.
Regards,
Charles1dad (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
There are many ways to skin a cat. A different approach is NOT necessary incompetent if it solves the same problem. Have a open mind and easy on the EGO.
08-24-12: Charles1dad
Jwm and Clio09,
I don`t see where anyone here has downplayed the importance of the circuit and its instrinsic quality. A good circuit is the foundation but its ultimate potential and performance can be hurt or aided by the choice of parts.a good circuit with good parts will out perform the same circuit with inferior parts.

No one is suggesting a high quality part will transform a poor circuit, that is`nt going to happen. The better quality parts should have less degradation to the purity of the signal is the only point.This seems intuitve to me.This is why changing tubes(output and small signal) and cable etc. all have audible effects despite the level of the circuit involved.Capacitors are no different and are likely more significant.
Regards,
Charles1dad (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
Well said Charles1dad ... exactly my point. I guess you lead them to the water but can't make them drink.
Podeschi, I've own 7 tube pre and haven't found one not sensitive to any tube rolling. My line stage doesn't have 12ax7s but the stock 12au7s, a Philips 6189w is very warm and thick sounding. In my system, I found rolling the 12au7s had a bigger effect than the 6922s.

Since you like the Magico sound, I think Telefunken ribbed plates will be an excellent match for you. Also had great success with Tele 12ax7 in my McIntosh pres.

I've heard positive comments on Psvane but no personal experience.
In the VAC 450 mono, many found rolling the "vo-1" position offered tremendous improvements. Not sure what position on 450 stereo ...

Podeschi, contact Kevin and roll some tubes before selling the 450s. :-)