Preamp Deal of the Century

Thanks. Mick also recommended the EML 45s. If the 300B are 'too much', I am sure I won't have any problems selling them. The EML dealer lives very close to me (in the Napa Valley), so it would be easy to pick up a pair of those. But first I need that preamp ... and it will take more patience.

@highstream I did not order the Grange Signature LS since I also did not want to deal with a new type of driver tube (have many 6SN7s). I ordered the ’regular’ Grange LS which is really a ’dual’, allowing to use the 300B or 6SN7 circuits. I asked Mick if both can be made with balanced outputs, but he did not commit. Let’s see.... However, if one is balanced (the 300B/45 circuit) and the 6SN7 only has singled ended outputs, it makes switching back and forth a bit more work. I will be happy either way, but the ability to use the same cable would be awesome.

Let us know how it works out. I didn’t want a dual, primarily to keep things simple. As I read the discussion on his site, Mick thinks a 6SN7 preamp provides the best sound, so whether it’s with Cab or Grange circuitry, I think we’ll do well. Be interested to hear about the comparison with the 300B.

I gotta say, using 12j5gt tubes in my Cabernet has been an ear opener. The round plate Sylvania tubes have been a clarity revelation and the JAN Tungsol are no slouch. I don't think I'd want a preamp that only uses 6/12j5 tubes but it is easy to use adapters in the *sn7 preamps. The *j5 tubes are still fairly cheap, and that goes doubly (halfly?) for the 12v tubes. 

Over the last year I have been playing around in the low fi end of things.  It started with my first "audiophile" headphones.  Then a good amp.  Then a tube amp (which has introduced me to a sound that my SS stuff can't seem to reproduce).  Then entry level speakers, and a gradually building cache of components.  Nothing expensive really.  Now  I have several systems that I am able to play around with to gain a sense of what component and speaker pairing  as well as room setup and speaker positioning will do to the sound. Some things make me smile, others make me occasionally grimace, but overall a lot of fun which has drawn me in a little deeper.

Anyway... As I begin to mull over the prospect of  heading to the next level I am almost paralyzed by the myriad of options combinations and opinions on pretty much everything.   Then I stumbled upon this thread.   I have never experienced such unbridled enthusiasm.  Truthfully as I wade slowly into the audiophile waters this level of enthusiasm really makes me want to simply talk to Mick, order one of his wonderful looking (and apparently fantastic sounding) pre amps and build a system around that as my starting point.  Is this crazy or does it make a modicum of sense.  

Any help or encouragement or guidance would be great!