|
|
Post by Boomzilla on Apr 18, 2013 7:15:30 GMT -5
Shooting for under $500. Have any of you personal knowledge of any of the following that I'm looking at on eBay: VTL Deluxe Preamplifier UE9s3wEg5FBRb)idSKBw~~60_14.JPG) Counterpoint SA-7  Aric Audio dual mono  Audio Research SP3 with Van Alstine mod MFBRb)u-!9Ng~~60_14.JPG) Luxman A-3300  Jolida JD-5T  Thanks in advance - Boomzilla |
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 18, 2013 7:37:28 GMT -5
I've had experience with all of them............
.............I've experienced wanting them all very much. ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2013 7:38:21 GMT -5
IMO other peoples opinions and reviews can only get you so far. They are usually biased and do not give you a good idea how things actually are. You've been swapping thru gear lately. Just buy something and enjoy it  You will never find audio nirvana. The sooner you accept this truth, the less money you'll end up spending. |
|
|
|
Post by Boomzilla on Apr 18, 2013 7:55:38 GMT -5
...Just buy something and enjoy it You will never find audio nirvana. The sooner you accept this truth, the less money you'll end up spending. Agreed. That's why I'm sorting out "what I want to keep." So far, the DefTech speakers and the Emotiva XPA-2 are keepers, and should be synergistic. I think the speakers would benefit from a touch of "tube bloom" and so am thinking of a preamp. Whatever tube preamp I get - like in horseshoes & hand-gernades - if it's close it's good enough. If, however, there were a standout performer in the mix that I'm looking at, I'd never know unless you told me. |
|
|
|
Post by ocezam on Apr 18, 2013 9:42:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by ocezam on Apr 18, 2013 9:55:38 GMT -5
Or do what I'm doing, wait to see what Emotiva comes out with.
|
|
focal
Minor Hero
Posts: 93
|
Post by focal on Apr 18, 2013 10:46:26 GMT -5
Musical Fidelity had a tube buffer for the CD/DAC output. under $500 for sure
|
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 18, 2013 11:25:31 GMT -5
I don't know man. I don't think that amp over there is fully animal proof. Look at that frog making off with that tube! Fatal design flaw ... - or stroke of brilliance?!  |
|
KeithL
Administrator 
Posts: 10,002
|
Post by KeithL on Apr 18, 2013 11:26:39 GMT -5
I think you REALLY need to decide what you're looking for... Are you looking for a good clean preamp (in which case you will barely be able to tell it's tube-based)? or are you looking for a lot of "tube sound"? If you're really trying to add "a lot of tubeyness", then I would suggest that you check out the Schiit Audio Lyr. It is actually a headphone amp, but it has level-controlled line-level outputs, and so you can use it as a preamp, and it is "tubey to the extreme". |
|
KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,002
|
Post by KeithL on Apr 18, 2013 11:31:23 GMT -5
If you're looking for a relatively clean tube buffer, you can get one on eBay for anywhere from about $50 up. Search on "tube buffer" and you'll get pages and pages of them. (Since you're talking about "buffers", then you obviously don't need gain, and all you're looking for is some nice tube distortion.) Musical Fidelity had a tube buffer for the CD/DAC output. under $500 for sure |
|
|
|
Post by Boomzilla on Apr 18, 2013 12:02:36 GMT -5
Hi KeithL -
What I'm looking for is:
1. A preamp with input switching for at least two sources (swapping patch cables while bent over the equipment rack isn't my idea of fun)
2. A relatively clean preamp with tight and well-nuanced bass
3. A relatively flat preamp with just a touch of midrange "tube bloom"
4. A relatively flat preamp with extended and airy but not harsh or hot highs. I can give an example using speakers: I hate B&W speakers. Why? Their diamond tweeters can't reproduce cymbals to my satisfaction. The tweeters have too much "tizz" and not enough brass. An old EV-T35 tweeter, by comparison has superb brass but not any upper harmonics at all. My current DefTech SM65 speakers are slightly "hot" in the treble IMHO, and would do with a very slight bit of softening in the upper treble.
5. A preamp that will enhance soundstage width and depth. Currently, I get a cluster of instruments on each speaker, and a rock-solid center image instead of an integrated-sounding sound stage. I don't think that this is a room artifact (especially since treatment with ATC panels). I'm currently waltzing the speakers around like "Dancing With The Stars" trying to find a location where they'll open up and produce a credible soundstage. No luck yet.
That said, the speakers are still "new" with less than 15 hours on them (and many of those hours at low volumes). I know the speakers can do better because I've heard them do so in the showroom. This may just be a break-in issue.
6. A preamp with remote volume control. I'd like to try running my DACs at less than 100% output and using the preamp for volume. It may help - it may not...
7. A preamp with good reliability. I'm NOT eager to remain on a first-name basis with the repair shop, and I've not the time to troubleshoot and repair myself.
Thanks - Boomzilla
|
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 18, 2013 12:29:39 GMT -5
Hi KeithL - What I'm looking for is: 5. A preamp that will enhance soundstage width and depth. Currently, I get a cluster of instruments on each speaker, and a rock-solid center image instead of an integrated-sounding sound stage. I don't think that this is a room artifact (especially since treatment with ATC panels). No luck yet. I know EXACTLY what you mean, I am suffering from this right now. As my ears fluctuate with my allergies it's frustrating when I know I can't do speaker position properly because of a left/right ear imbalance that comes and goes. But, I know exactly what you mean. The cluster and the solid center channel, maybe even some audio coming from beyond the sides of the speaker but that seamless soundstage where it all just connects effortlessly...absent. You know how I lost it? I moved the speaker a hair. And IMO it is both positioning, getting stuff out of the way AND AND AND.....TOE IN. Lots of lots and lots of tweaking it by a hair. And and and.....!! Distance from you to it while balancing the distance between the speakers to match JUST right. It's very tough to get that. And the last 20% is getting stuff out of the way of the sound including floor hugging obstacles. Heck even my couch and tv makes a noticeable difference to the sound. Audio, an OCD dream - I mean nightmare. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by ocezam on Apr 18, 2013 13:21:37 GMT -5
Hi KeithL - What I'm looking for is: 7. A preamp with good reliability. I'm NOT eager to remain on a first-name basis with the repair shop, and I've not the time to troubleshoot and repair myself. Thanks - Boomzilla Then stay away from everything in your first post. Lot's of miles on them. ... |
|
|
|
Post by Boomzilla on Apr 18, 2013 13:30:28 GMT -5
Then stay away from everything in your first post. Lot's of miles on them... Now the Jolida is a current item! Of the plethora of Chinese preamps/headphone amps on eBay, do you have a fave? |
|
|
|
Post by GreenKiwi on Apr 18, 2013 13:41:13 GMT -5
While it doesn't have a remote control, I really loved my Anthem pre 1. This one is very nice. I found it to have a good sound stage and imaging. Be clean with just a hint of tubes. Anthem PRE 1L Pre-Amplifier bit.ly/12qc1QIIt was no nonsense. |
|
|
|
Post by Boomzilla on Apr 18, 2013 13:42:39 GMT -5
While it doesn't have a remote control, I really loved my Anthem pre 1... Interesting - Is the auction yours? Boom |
|
|
|
Post by GreenKiwi on Apr 18, 2013 16:41:23 GMT -5
Nope. Mine has been loaned out to my uncle. Pretty much permanently.
It was back when anthem was an offshoot from Sonic Frontiers.
|
|
jlafrenz
Global Moderator
I don't want to jump in, unless this music's thumping
Posts: 7,722
|
Post by jlafrenz on Apr 18, 2013 18:52:19 GMT -5
Then stay away from everything in your first post. Lot's of miles on them... Now the Jolida is a current item! Of the plethora of Chinese preamps/headphone amps on eBay, do you have a fave? I would look at the Jolida. I have owned a few pieces of Jolida and been happy with them. It would also be a good choice if you want something reliable. Not because the others are not, but because the Jolida would come with a warranty and easily be serviced by them. It is really hard to say one preamp would be better than another for you in terms of the sound you are looking for. This is partly to do with the tubes themselves. You may find that a certain set of tubes turns you off from a piece of gear, but simply changing them to another hits that magic mark you are looking for. This is really part of the fun and sometimes frustration of owning tubes. |
|
emovac
Emo VIPs 
Saeed al-Sahhaf
Posts: 2,456
|
Post by emovac on Apr 18, 2013 22:59:54 GMT -5
IMO other peoples opinions and reviews can only get you so far. They are usually biased and do not give you a good idea how things actually are. You've been swapping thru gear lately.
Just buy something and enjoy it You will never find audio nirvana. The sooner you accept this truth, the less money you'll end up spending. +1  Before you buy a tubed pre, or a tube buffer, check tube pricing and availability. Some NOS tubes can be pricey and/or hard to find. |
|
|
|
Post by arthurz on Apr 18, 2013 23:22:06 GMT -5
It sounds to me like a Schiit Lyr hooked into the XSP-1's processor loop would be _perfect_ (with its volume set to 0 dB). This would allow you to turn the tubes on/off when you feel like it (proc on/off), not to mention you get a headphone amp fully capable of dealing with power-hungry headphones. I'm going to pull the trigger on this. Thanks Keith!
|
|
