Thöress "Super" Preamplifier (with phono)

[kodomo]

For some time now, I have been checking out preamps and phono amps. If I can solve both of my needs without compromising quality, I would love that. However it seems, there are not many contenders that can pull it off. Dartzeel nhb-18ns comes to mind but is much more costly... I was looking at Ear but then decided it was not good enough.

I did not know about Thöress preamp with onboard phono. It seems it has the same quality phono preamp with the stand alone one minus the eq controls with three less inputs (both are no problem for me). The only thing that puts me off is the rotary Alps potentiometers it has for volume control. I am spoiled by my custom made passive preamps transparency. This already being a tube unit, plus the Alps potentiometers make me thing of possible veils on sound... (how I wish, it had the intact audio elma autoformers for volume control)

Anyway, anyone ever tried this? Is it as good a phono pre and a line pre with the best out there. Do you think it will be silent enough with my horns. It writes in the manual 100db speakers are no problem, but my efficiency is around 108-109db...

I really like to solve both my needs with just one box. It fits my needs. I need parallel outputs (it has that), need one input for digital (it has two), one for tape (it has one), and a phono input (it has three). So, any experience with this unit?

http://www.thoeress.com/en/preamplifier/

 

[Folsom]

I think you’re right to fear the pot.

 

[heihei]

I've spent time with this (or one very similar), and liked it a lot. It is very well built and I think it represents good value for money. Tonally it is very good, and has a nice flow to the music. Soundstage is not the widest I've heard. In the end, I was willing to pay more for better performance so did not purchase.

I didn't use the phono stage, and my speakers are ~91dB so cannot comment on noise. I noticed no issues in my system though.

 

[awsmone]

Could I suggest this one

https://www.stereophile.com/tubepreamps/1205ear/index.html

 

[kodomo]

Could I suggest this one

https://www.stereophile.com/tubepreamps/1205ear/index.html

Yes, I have thought of it earlier too; https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/ear-yoshino-912.28121/

 

[andi]

I am using this Preamp for over 10 years now and there is definately no problem with the pots.
If your poweramp is very sensitive, there could be some noise over the speaker. Thöress suggests input sensitivity of 2 Volt I think.

Please check with Reinhard if there will be no problem with your van den Hul. My Grasshopper III GLA and Jan Allaerts MC1 are working very good with it.

 

[djsina2]

I had the Phono Enhancer which I really liked a lot. I then connected an EMIA Elmaformer to it and it did not work at all! I had serious woofer pumping and distortion. Nobody (Dave or Reinhard) had a solution so I sold the Elmaformer to a friend who has had no issues with it.

 

[kodomo]

I had the Phono Enhancer which I really liked a lot. I then connected an EMIA Elmaformer to it and it did not work at all! I had serious woofer pumping and distortion. Nobody (Dave or Reinhard) had a solution so I sold the Elmaformer to a friend who has had no issues with it.

This is very interesting and just as I was thinking if it would work if I change the volume potentiometers to autoformers. Intact audio elma 47 position autoformers to be specific for either thöress or ear yoshino units...

 

[Sablon Audio]

Wrt the pot, Tribute Audio in Netherlands also offer an autoformer volume control. Nanocrystalline core and a choice of copper and silver wiring, both single ended and balanced. Very attractively priced also.

 

[advanced101]

I have also been hoping to find an all in one box solution with the EAR 912 at the top of my list. But after reading various experiences it is tough to find one that isn't compromised in one way or another. I like my EAR 868PL and the 912 would be a natural upgrade but for the cash vs. performance outlay it would make sense to go with the separate phono path. Just hate that I keep adding boxes.

 

[djsina2]

This is very interesting and just as I was thinking if it would work if I change the volume potentiometers to autoformers. Intact audio elma 47 position autoformers to be specific for either thöress or ear yoshino units...

Dave told me what he thought the issue might be but I can’t remember enough to recite it. He said it can happen in rare cases. He made me some resistor RCA plugs to insert into empty inputs of the Elmaformer but that didn’t solve the issue. It’s unfortunate because at times the distortion wasn’t there and the EMIA sounded amazing, even with the woofer pumping. Then distortion would creep in and things would fall apart. The woofer pumping was so visually distracting I couldn’t listen to music that way.

 

[djsina2]

I have also been hoping to find an all in one box solution with the EAR 912 at the top of my list. But after reading various experiences it is tough to find one that isn't compromised in one way or another. I like my EAR 868PL and the 912 would be a natural upgrade but for the cash vs. performance outlay it would make sense to go with the separate phono path. Just hate that I keep adding boxes.

FYI there is a brand new 912 on audiogon now for a nice discount.