Low noise Preamp for High Eff Speakers


Recently I picked up a Threshold T3 preamp and amazed how much lower the noise floor was than my Audio Research LS3B. Dead quite even with your ears to the tweeters. Yet it lacked the dynamics of the Audio Research, more laid back. I still like both of them but interested in getting others opinions on low noise preamps (tube or solid state) that are very musical in all practical dimensions (sound stage, inner detail, bass and treble extension, low or no electronic haze/glare, etc). I am looking at auditioning some ultra-efficient speakers (greater than 91 db) and would like to get a feel for best matching to the speakers. I have been happy with my B&W 801 series 3 speakers now for about 5 years but looking at being more Energy Friendly and at the same time getting more immediate sound that many high efficiency speakers are reported to give. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
nanderson
You might try the Pass X-1 (and the matching phono amp, the X-ONO). Thewe are really quiet, and very fine. See Cordesman's reviews in (I think) the January and February Absolute Sound.
YOUR BEST CHOICE would be an old original Thaedra,by GAS!!!the quietest pre i ever heard,actually all the gas preamps were quiet,i meen dead silent!this will hold it's own against any modern preamp!
I would like to second the X1 as a very quiet preamp. The X1 is as quiet as quiet gets, especially using balanced interconnects to a Pass X series amp(s). I think Pass Labs calls it Super Symmetry. I can tell you with my overly efficient horns(104db/1w), they are very quiet. Much quieter than my ARC or Krell equipment ever was. I went to the Pass to get the low noise that I was accustomed to prior to the horns going into the system.
have you ever EVER experienced noise problems in home audio due to not using balanced interconnect's?i havent!xlr's should only be used in extremely long run's!