Anyone successfully move from a high end tube preamp to SS, and not miss a thing?!?

[caesar]

The older Krell is a litle dark on top, the bass control is great if the MBL's are spiked on something solid. The best I have heard these speakers, are with MBL 9011 , also a slightly warm amp. I will look for Kraft in my neck of the woods. Good luck with the preamp search!

I also like the 9011's, but they are so pricy! And although I primarily have heard the 9011's at shows, Krafts may be better in terms of liquidity, continuity, and getting that midbass melon to growl just right. There's some rightness about Class A that class ab just can't do.

If you try it, please post your thoughts.

 

[Atmasphere]

I was tri-amping the Pipedreams with the MP1 and MA1's, M60's, big SS for the woofers. I also used a Pass active crossover which allowed me to experiment and get to the point that I could implement a simple passive crossover at line level. To eliminate the Pass I needed a pre-amp that had two balanced outputs with a volume control on each one - the MBL was one of few that had that feature and would be acceptable from a performance standpoint. It is definately not a bright pre-amp - big full sound is how I would describe it. I used this set-up for quite some time until I decided to go down the battery path and simplify my system...which you should appreciate.

Look forward to catching up at some point.

Hi Bruce- sorry I didn't make the connection earlier! We've taken to adding additional outputs on the MP-1 since those days. We do tape EQ (optional) and have more SE connections (input and output) as well. Since your preamp was built we have made a lot of changes!

BTW so far I have yet to get my EV up and running. I figured out there was a problem with the controller 2 weeks after Azure Dynamics went belly up

 

[flez007]

I was tri-amping the Pipedreams with the MP1 and MA1's, M60's, big SS for the woofers. I also used a Pass active crossover which allowed me to experiment and get to the point that I could implement a simple passive crossover at line level. To eliminate the Pass I needed a pre-amp that had two balanced outputs with a volume control on each one - the MBL was one of few that had that feature and would be acceptable from a performance standpoint. It is definately not a bright pre-amp - big full sound is how I would describe it. I used this set-up for quite some time until I decided to go down the battery path and simplify my system...which you should appreciate.

Look forward to catching up at some point.

I had a light hum with phono sources that made my swap of tubes several times, to my surprise the hum remained and no audible differences were noticeable, which made me conclude that the amp had a slim tube heart. it was an HP100 in my case....

 

[bfalls]

Hi Bruce- sorry I didn't make the connection earlier! We've taken to adding additional outputs on the MP-1 since those days. We do tape EQ (optional) and have more SE connections (input and output) as well. Since your preamp was built we have made a lot of changes!

BTW so far I have yet to get my EV up and running. I figured out there was a problem with the controller 2 weeks after Azure Dynamics went belly up

That's not good - I'll send you an email to discuss options.

 

[Lagonda]

I also like the 9011's, but they are so pricy! And although I primarily have heard the 9011's at shows, Krafts may be better in terms of liquidity, continuity, and getting that midbass melon to growl just right. There's some rightness about Class A that class ab just can't do.

If you try it, please post your thoughts.

That damned mid bass melon is the Achilles heel of the 101's! A solid back wall helps a lot, i constructed one using heavy MDF, I still miss the sound of good fast dynamic paper cones sometime on drum work. Had a set of Martin Logan Statement E 2's years ago when I had more space and money, they played drums a way I have not heard since. 16 7 inch paper cone open baffle doing mid bass , and 16 12 inch doing deep bass, super fast/deeeep and dynamic! I have not heard 101 Extreme, they probably do dynamics the same way. What Krafts are you using? Yes the 9011's are damned pricy at least 30k used!! And yes I love class A to, there are a older set of Boulder 2050 Monos and a pair of Krell Evo one's on Audiogon right now that both would get the job done very nicely.

 

[caesar]

Got 250's now, and they handle the 101's superbly. I'll be trying 300's next month. If you try any others, please post. Good Luck!

 

[sonrock]

Sir, I used to have several decent valve preamps with tubes rolling, I even changed totally 19 tubes of my einstein pre to the very best and lived with them for 18 months until buying the koda k10. That is exactly what you describe that losing nothing from tube sounds but remaining ss virtue.

By the end of this month, I have a chance to listen to the K15 but I am too busy over here so leave it until I am done with my work and having some free time with my hobby. The k15 price is just ridiculous, I might need to sell a kidney plus my as new k10 to get this k15 if it is really better than my wonderful k10.

For some other choices, I dont know about your budget, but some told me about balabo or fm pres are just awesome. Never heard them though. My friend is using the full MBL system with 101 mk2's, mbl pre and mbl monoblocks with odin cables around. He's a very happy man and thinking to buy the top mbl speakers when his house finished building. I think you can consider mbl pre as well Sir.

 

[LL21]

Sir, I used to have several decent valve preamps with tubes rolling, I even changed totally 19 tubes of my einstein pre to the very best and lived with them for 18 months until buying the koda k10. That is exactly what you describe that losing nothing from tube sounds but remaining ss virtue.

By the end of this month, I have a chance to listen to the K15 but I am too busy over here so leave it until I am done with my work and having some free time with my hobby. The k15 price is just ridiculous, I might need to sell a kidney plus my as new k10 to get this k15 if it is really better than my wonderful k10.

For some other choices, I dont know about your budget, but some told me about balabo or fm pres are just awesome. Never heard them though. My friend is using the full MBL system with 101 mk2's, mbl pre and mbl monoblocks with odin cables around. He's a very happy man and thinking to buy the top mbl speakers when his house finished building. I think you can consider mbl pre as well Sir.

Definitely let us know what you what you think about k15! I am very very curious.

 

[TheAudioAssociation]

Went from VTL 7.5MK II > DarTZeel 18NS

Not missing anything at all!

 

[flyer]

Why want a preamp?

Went from VTL 7.5MK II > DarTZeel 18NS

Not missing anything at all!

I used to have a Zanden 3000 connected to Lamm 1.2 monos. I then switched to a Totaldac D1 Dual and tested with and without the Zanden in the chain.
It was immediately clear I (though marginally) lost quality with the Zanden IN !!

Indeed, I had (and still have) the impression having all the virtues of the Zanden by having this SS dac driving my Lamms directly and even bettered. i.e. no less excellent midrange, better lower frequencies, a bit faster signal, treble is as glorious.

Of course, I do not have an analog setup so don't strictly need a preamp. So I traded an excellent preamp and dac (Weiss medea) with a unit that clearly bettered the combination of both (the Medea was clearly the (very) weakest link with hindsight). So, I would invite to think out of the box!!

 

[DonH50]

Check the min load spec for the preamps you are looking at.

My old ARC and one of the (much) later CJ preamps struggled a bit with a 10k load. They would drive it, but sounded better with a higher impedance. I did a kludge fix by adding a series 10k resistor. Cut gain in half and of course added a tiny bit more noise, but it was inaudible and the sound was much better.

Edit: Sorry, I must have been a page off when I dove into this thread, was responding to the 10k amplifier input vs. tube preamp output impedance question posted earlier.

 

[Garth]

...

 

[MtnHam]

Yes

and another BIG Yes!

Went from an Aesthetix Calypso to an Ayre KXR. Granted, they are not even close in price, but the step-up was major. The Calypso isn't even close. The KXR doesn't lack anything that tubes can offer. And I can leave it on 24/7!

 

[Garth]

...

 

[MtnHam]

What phono are you running.

Audio Research Reference Phono 2SE
The KXR/MXR combo is terrific.

 

[Garth]

...

 

[MtnHam]

Now the question for me is do I upgrade to the 20 for the MXR and KXR or try the Burmester 111.

I like the Ayre good sound quality built

Since it appears the Twenty's are not yet shipping, I will wait until there is some owner feedback. Sounds promising, but no need to rush.

 

[Garth]

...

 

[Bodhi]

I previously ran a Boulder 1060 power amp & modded Ayon CD-5s with upgraded mil-spec tubes as my preamp which was a nice combo and had great bottom end authority. I later sold my Ayon and had an all-Boulder setup with a 1010 preamp for a short while before selling the Boulder amps and upgrading to my current Vitus SIA-025. The Vitus brought back the same warmth and tube-like liquidity I was familiar with, but with much superior refinement and resolution. And going for an integrated amp I think improved synergy/coherency. The overall effect was that I stopped thinking about my amp and just focus on the music. I can't think of a greater compliment than that.

 

[LL21]

... I would like to hear sound labs like you have some day I have Martin logan CLXs with subs...

HI Garth, Most intrigued by your speaker setup...are these ML CLXs with the Descents? I have heard a setup (not particularly well done) of these and was most intrigued. There is surely some magic in ML for me. I am now looking forward to hearing the ML Neoliths plus Subs when they are available.

Can you tell us a little more about your speakers/sub...perhaps how you decided on them vs other speakers you may have auditioned? Comparisons? Thanks!

Oh, btw...if you wish to open a new thread or PM, fine...don't wish to derail here.