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Best preamp for my system.

I am looking to upgrade my preamp, and am looking for advice from experienced audio people. I am currently running an Emm Labs CD player into a Levinson 380S and then the Levinson 33H's and on to the Genesis 4 tower speakers. All signals running through Gabriel Gold Rapture IC's. What I like is a real lush sound, vocals being most important with respect to accuracy. Some preamps that I am considering are the ARC reference and Lamm Reference.......but am open to suggestions if a serious upgrade from my 380S can be had for less than those two expensive units.
bullot
danamc
57 posts
 
Glad to hear you're pleased with the Joule LA300 (Marianne). I've had the Joule LA-150 Mk2 for a couple years and have never thought about changing preamps until your post. Simon emailed me the other day saying that the SE upgrade is definitely worth pursuing, which adds some of the trickle down changes that were put into the Marianne version. I will have to go that route considering the price of a new Marianne.
zephyr24069's avatar
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zephyr24069
1,241 posts
 
I'm about 460 hours into break-in on an Esoteric C-03 preamp. This unit is truly something special. I now know first hand why it won 2 Blue Moon awards from 2 different reviewers on 6moons!
bullot OP
128 posts
 
I've heard a little about the Esoteric preamp Mark, but will have to check out those reviews!

I have moved on from the Joule and bought both an Atmasphere MP1 and MBL6010D to compare, thinking I would keep the one which worked best in my system, which I did. The Atma has moved on and I am using the MBL now!
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zephyr24069
1,241 posts
 
Let us know how it turns out...it's always great to hear about your latest audio adventures!
bullot OP
128 posts
 
Something I bought since last talking with you Mark are the Bybee speaker bullets! Love them.....if you can get them on a deal.

The MBL works perfectly in my system. It has tons of detail and yet is somehow on the warm side, it's like a velvet hammer. I can't see getting back on the preamp merrygoround again, for a while anyways.
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