Preamps!

[jinp6301]

Yea thats why I said preamps as well as headphone amps. From what I see, most lower end headphone amps dont get used as preamps while higher end headphone amps get used as preamps quite often

[Nanoha]

Yea thats why I said preamps as well as headphone amps. From what I see, most lower end headphone amps dont get used as preamps while higher end headphone amps get used as preamps quite often

Oh yeah, of course. That makes sense.

[Frihed89]

I believe the best ladder attenuators on the market are made by Shallco. Two of these would fit inside the M?stro, but I am not sure he could get two in the other models.

MY MPX3 Slam SE is configured as a preamp, but a) it is not very neutral and there is either too much gain in the amp and preamp combo And/OR the volume controls are shitty. I thought my model had some better R and L volume attenuators, but I can't run this as a preamp much above 7-8 o'clock. I do have a small room.

Hopefully this problem will be solved by the preamp that is coming in my BC SBH unit.

By the way, I talked with Mikhail at about 0830 Danish time. That's 0030 in Denver! So hopefully, he's closer to getting someone unit out the door.

[luvdunhill]

hes not sure on price yet. He did say it has about 50 hours on it so I'm thinking that the 32 blackgates in it are not close to opening up yet. Not sure how special the treatment is. But he did me a big favor kowing my family is in for T-day and I wanted to have my system sounding better than with MF preamp. Anyway since I am at the 7 month mark on the maestro and I already dropped big $$$ on the SDS and SDS-XLR, maybe that bought me a solid from Mikhail.

I talked to him this evening about opening up the treble on them if they go into prodution and he said no problem. Mikhail as absolutly nailed the midrange on this pre. I have owned and auditions a bunch of pres in my system over the last 2 years and this is at least as good if not the best I have heard the midrange sound in this system. Prices ranged from $4-14K on the others. My favorites being the SDS-XLR, VTL 7.5, and Ayre K-1xe.

Tom: Just curious, did you have the Ayre phono stage at some point? I think I might have say it on the auction block a few weeks (months?) ago. What did you replace it with? I'm thinking about a SP preamp as well. I have had BAT, Ayre and VTL preamps at some point or another... at this point, I'm thinking about going back to BAT or maybe trying a Pass preamp. shrug, lots of choices.

Also, does anyone know how much voltage gain the various Singlepower preamps have? Would they be enough to drive speakers through Nelson Pass's F4s (i.e. no voltage gain)?

[Elephas]

I've refrained from calling Mikhail and will wait for him to contact me when he's ready.

He's installing 45-step attenuators in my Supra XLR and ES-1.

It happens when it happens.

I'm currently enjoying the SR-Omega and HE60 with the KGSS. The sound is very good already.

[tom_hankins]

Tom: Just curious, did you have the Ayre phono stage at some point? I think I might have say it on the auction block a few weeks (months?) ago. What did you replace it with? I'm thinking about a SP preamp as well. I have had BAT, Ayre and VTL preamps at some point or another... at this point, I'm thinking about going back to BAT or maybe trying a Pass preamp. shrug, lots of choices.

Also, does anyone know how much voltage gain the various Singlepower preamps have? Would they be enough to drive speakers through Nelson Pass's F4s (i.e. no voltage gain)?

I had the SDS-XLR, BAT VK-31SE and Ayre K-1XE for one day together. The BAT was on the way out. The Ayre just got here and Mikhail had the SDS-XLR here for a couple days. Didnt compare much to the BAT due to the fact I was replacing it with the Ayre K-1XE. I liked the SP the best. I also like my system more now with the SP transparency than the BAT or Ayre. it just creates such a huge wall of sound that goes deep and sounds very real. So far my favorite preamps have been the SP and the VTL 7.5. Mikhail tells me that the Maestro is different due to the fact that it is a preamp first and headphone amp second. And the nre tubed power supply is better than any I have heard from him.

Yes I had the Ayre P-5XE phonostage. it was nice but I couldnt get rid of a noise problem talked to Ayre and they offered me some different options but decided to give up. Ended up with the Sim Audio LP5.3 and a holdover piece. Turns out this thing really works great with my system so its got a home. I will add the outboard power supply when they hit this spring and I'm good with my phonostage.

Right now I am really happy with the music I have. Three upgrades planned between now and summer and I dont see any reason to go any further.

[luvdunhill]

I had the SDS-XLR, BAT VK-31SE and Ayre K-1XE for one day together. The BAT was on the way out. The Ayre just got here and Mikhail had the SDS-XLR here for a couple days. Didnt compare much to the BAT due to the fact I was replacing it with the Ayre K-1XE.

wow, sounds like a fun day! I've went though a handful of BAT preamps and I really liked them. If I had my choice, I'd go with the VTL 7.5 but I'm not sure the extra price tag is worth it these days. I really love the Ayre amps and maybe one day I'll pony up for Charles' new amps. They sounds amazing.

Yes I had the Ayre P-5XE phonostage. it was nice but I couldnt get rid of a noise problem talked to Ayre and they offered me some different options but decided to give up. Ended up with the Sim Audio LP5.3 and a holdover piece. Turns out this thing really works great with my system so its got a home. I will add the outboard power supply when they hit this spring and I'm good with my phonostage.

Right now I am really happy with the music I have. Three upgrades planned between now and summer and I dont see any reason to go any further.

I went through a similar journey with my Whest phono stage. At this point, it's just sitting there as I have fallen in love with another. I need to list it at some point. Anyways, it went back across the pond 3 times and finally they got rid of a few issues. At that point, several phono stages in my rig, a Klyne, Pass and an Herron. The Whest is very nice and was the first to convince me that solid-state is the way to go in a phono stage. I'd love to try the Ayre, and almost bought one a few times but I'm happy at this point. Just curious Thanks for the reply.

[tom_hankins]

I will be comparing the Maestro head to head with the VTL7.5 in my system when it gets here. It had always been my favorite by a small bit over the Ayre. However most of the people who heard them both here preferred the Ayre. (I have to get some friends with a little more class) My wife the most outspoken. Needless to say............

I have a ton of hours in front of the Ayre MX-R amps. With a bunch of sources and speakers. (it is great when your buddy owns a shop)They are as good as it gets. I wish they had more power. Lately i have been listening to the Mac 1201s and if I ever switch from the Krells with my Thiels, they are here quick.

Right now I am not changing anything. Only making small aditions. Things are to good to mess with. PurK and I sat there listening to vinyl and the NAD last night and both thought the system was really on point. I hope the Maestro doesnt screw it up. Mikhail says it will be much nicer than the loaner I have. God I hope so.

[kevin gilmore]

Would there be any interest in a preamp with a sound signature very close to

the CTC blowtorch??? For about $5k (wild estimate)

Fully balanced, with unbalanced inputs that get converted to balanced before

the 512 step constant impedance relay attenuator (.25db steps), remote controlled

and with adjustable balance. Fully solid state.

Cause i'm working on one... Design almost done...

[deepak]

I for one am, the Blowtorch is pretty legendary

[tom_hankins]

Judging by the cult like following of the Blowtorch (I've never heard one, but saw a picture once ) on Agon it would seem like there would be quite a bit of interest. Especially with all the JC-1 owners out there.

[Dusty Chalk]

I never saw the pics, and I never did get an answer to my Musical Fidelity preamp question (I.E. which one). Where were they hosted? Are they still there? Because I do have some places like imagevenue or imageshack or something like that blocked at work (especially ones that have a large amount of NSFW images, even if that's not how they're always used).

[hungrych]

I've refrained from calling Mikhail and will wait for him to contact me when he's ready.

Good luck with that.

[Pars]

There's a rather interesting thread going on over on diyaudio regarding the Blowtorch (and reverse engineering it). John Curl is even participating in it. Alot of background info on why things were done in a certain way, etc. Rather long at 101 pages:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=71189

[Dusty Chalk]

I need a preamp. I'm thinking Conrad Johnson, any other recommendations? Are any of the entry level Conrad Johnson tubed preamps particularly good values? They seem to range in price, used.

[tom_hankins]

I never saw the pics, and I never did get an answer to my Musical Fidelity preamp question (I.E. which one). Where were they hosted? Are they still there? Because I do have some places like imagevenue or imageshack or something like that blocked at work (especially ones that have a large amount of NSFW images, even if that's not how they're always used).

Sorry, I must have missed the Musical Fidelity question. I was using the AC3R preamp.

If you go to Virtual systems on the front page of audiogon and type in CTC blowtorch in the search box, Essentialaudio has one in there system. Nice black two box preamp.

[luvdunhill]

Would there be any interest in a preamp with a sound signature very close to

the CTC blowtorch??? For about $5k (wild estimate)

Fully balanced, with unbalanced inputs that get converted to balanced before

the 512 step constant impedance relay attenuator (.25db steps), remote controlled

and with adjustable balance. Fully solid state.

Cause i'm working on one... Design almost done...

KG: sure! I'm about ready to build a preamp.... so good timing. I'm thinking about this one:

Any opinions on it?

[luvdunhill]

psu:

[kevin gilmore]

Its the pumpkin

preamp has output capacitors. Yuuch

preamp does not have dual balanced differential input. Yuuch

Does not do so well with unbalanced inputs.

Many people will think that this is excellent, which it is.

Power supply extremely excessive in the style of john curl.

Lightyears ahead of anything ray samuels could ever come up with.

[Dusty Chalk]

Sorry, I must have missed the Musical Fidelity question.

That's what I figured, not a problem.

I was using the AC3R preamp.

Yeah, not exactly their best high-end preamp. I used to own that one, and it was really good, certainly better than anything I had owned up until that time. But in hindsight, it lacked subtlety compared to many other high-end amps. I hear that everything from the A3.2 and after, excluding the A5/A3 split, is supposed to be better, but I've only briefly heard the A308, myself, so that's hearsay. (The A308 is certainly very good, and if I see one at a reasonable price, I'll probably get one for my Dynaudio system...except that I'm selling the Dynaudios, so maybe I should rethink that...)

[deepak]

Would there be any interest in a preamp with a sound signature very close to

the CTC blowtorch??? For about $5k (wild estimate)

Fully balanced, with unbalanced inputs that get converted to balanced before

the 512 step constant impedance relay attenuator (.25db steps), remote controlled

and with adjustable balance. Fully solid state.

Cause i'm working on one... Design almost done...

Kevin would it be possible to build it all single ended? And are there any parts (FETs ) we're waiting on to be manufactured?

[tom_hankins]

That's what I figured, not a problem. Yeah, not exactly their best high-end preamp. I used to own that one, and it was really good, certainly better than anything I had owned up until that time. But in hindsight, it lacked subtlety compared to many other high-end amps. I hear that everything from the A3.2 and after, excluding the A5/A3 split, is supposed to be better, but I've only briefly heard the A308, myself, so that's hearsay. (The A308 is certainly very good, and if I see one at a reasonable price, I'll probably get one for my Dynaudio system...except that I'm selling the Dynaudios, so maybe I should rethink that...)

The month I had to use the Musical Fidelity was better than nothing. It didnt sound bad. Just a little thin, and sometimes it seemed like the music were struggling. (does that make sence?) Nothing like the music I had before it. I bought it a few years ago and then sold it to a friend who uses it in a second system. When I sold the Ayre I borrowed it back. I think it might be the A3.2?? Is there a difference? Anyway i think they were around 1500.00 new. I got it used for pretty cheap.

[kevin gilmore]

Kevin would it be possible to build it all single ended? And are there any parts (FETs ) we're waiting on to be manufactured?

Yes but where would be the fun in that. More than half the parts would not be needed.

And yes i'm waiting on fets, but may have a different solution to that problem anyway

soon.

[deepak]

Yes but where would be the fun in that. More than half the parts would not be needed.

Very true

[Dusty Chalk]

I think it might be the A3.2?? Is there a difference?

Slightly -- I think Stereophile rated the A3^CR as somewhere between Class A and Class B (their rankings), and the A3.2 was solidly Class A. I think the sentence I remember (from the Recommended Components?) was something like "the a3.2 fixed that which the A3^CR didn't quite get right". I think they still recommended an outboard phono preamp in either case -- that qualification stood, but the line-level preamp functionality was considered (a3.2) reference quality, and (a3^cr) almost reference quality.

Thin? Struggling? I guess. When I heard it on my system (went from a Jolida JD102b tubed integrated to A3^CR solid-state separate pre and power), it was more like overkill -- trying to shove more water into a tube than it was capable of (speakers were Spendor S3/5's). The only struggling I heard was the speaker not to explode.