What Tube Preamps Synergize Well with CH Precision?

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,358
2,731
1,400
Amsterdam holland
Does it count if the amp has multiple power transformers?
You would know that much better then me .
I was just simply comparing the weight
Yes the CAT JL 2 , 3 s power supply is indeed noisy , i can hear a slight hum through the speakers when i put my ear at it
 

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
You would know that much better then me .
I was just simply comparing the weight
Yes the CAT JL 2 , 3 s power supply is indeed noisy , i can hear a slight hum through the speakers when i put my ear at it
My CAT JL7SE is not noisy.
 

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,358
2,731
1,400
Amsterdam holland
I cannot find the CH M 10 power supply energy storage specs on their website .
But the monos that marty has have a 78 kg power supply .
Besides the 53 kg audio unit
 

Atmasphere

Industry Expert
May 4, 2010
2,336
1,837
1,760
St. Paul, MN
www.atma-sphere.com
I cannot find the CH M 10 power supply energy storage specs on their website .
If the amp has sufficient feedback the energy storage becomes less important. This is because if you have enough feedback the amp begins to have rejection of power supply noise as one of its properties.
 
  • Like
Reactions: andromedaaudio

marty

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,025
4,173
2,520
United States
I always loved tubes.

Since 1978 i had

ARC D90,D250,SP 8,10,11,
Hal amp Japan preamp
Jadis pre 200 and amp Ja 30,Ja 80,Ja 200,Ja 500
Michelson & Austin TVA1
Klimo mono otl
Panthere otl
Canterpoint SA4
ANJ M10 and amp Neiro,Neiro Silver,Baransu,Ongaku,Gakuon
Kondo M7, GE1, 2 Souga
Yamamura pre and amp mono with external power supply 8 stack 320 kg,amp push pull 211
Audiotekne all the top models,old production and new production
Sakuma,only tried at home
Shindo pre Catherine and Petrus and amp Pavillon Rouge,WE 300B Limited and Shinonia
Mactone M8V otl mono
Tried at home Viva pre with power supply and amp New Aurora
Vintage MC 240, MC 30,MC 75,Radford sta 15,Quad II,Leak TL 12 plus mono,Rogers,Marantz 8
Other many listened in friend home like Convergent and others

After tried at home and bought CH end of 2015,i forgot all these tube amp and i will live always with CH,hoping one day to buy L 10 line

Tube i like only old M10,Kageki,Shinri and new Souga and M 1000
Gian, that's quite a collection. You must have the most understanding audiophile wife on the planet!!! :)
 

knghifi

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2014
255
70
158
You would know that much better then me .
I was just simply comparing the weight
Yes the CAT JL 2 , 3 s power supply is indeed noisy , i can hear a slight hum through the speakers when i put my ear at it
My CAT JL7SE is dead quiet.

BTW, JL7SE has a 30 pounds output transformer. Size of original Statement .... Current statement has a 50 pounds output transformer.
 

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
My CAT JL7SE is dead quiet.

BTW, JL7SE has a 30 pounds output transformer. Size of original Statement .... Current statement has a 50 pounds output transformer.
Isn't it amazing how a powerful tube amp can be so quiet? I've had solid state amps that produced crazy hiss that you could hear; with my JL7SEs you can put your ear up to the tweeter and basically hear nothing.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
(....) I dont know the impedance graph/ efficiency of the M pro s , but the Q5 s i heard last year were not very power friendly it took some high power TAD monos to control them .

The Q5's were created to torture power amplifiers - 84dB/W, impedance modulus dips less than 3 ohm with terrible phase angles!
 
  • Like
Reactions: christoph

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
The Q5's were created to torture power amplifiers - 84dB/W, impedance modulus dips less than 3 ohm with terrible phase angles!
LOL!

Yeah my MPros are nothing like them. 91db and the CATs do drive them very well...
 

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,358
2,731
1,400
Amsterdam holland
ian, You got the best of both worlds, tube and SS. Rotate in and out depending on mood Lucky Guy! :)
:) I Dont think the high end gets much better then that.
(Besides a good tape machine with analogue productions Ultra tapes )
 
Last edited:

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,358
2,731
1,400
Amsterdam holland
But speculating a bit :) mad floyd ... since you like the Dartzeel pre ( which replaced the CAT legend and is a tough act to follow imo )
I think its also an idea to try the darts 468 (458 ) , i read you only tried the 108 which might be insufficient in power with the M pro s .
Same could be said for CH by trying the L 1 / L10 combined with your M1.1.

Ps On the cheap/ " bang for buck " I d buy a well maintained Telefunken M 15 A as well , with tapes from Analogue productions ( Ultra tape ) , Hemiolia , Tape project.
Just for show off once in a while , even without a expensive external pre , just plug it directly into the pre amp via the stock telefunken cards and it ll blow your socks off :cool:.
Studers are also great but in general more expensive

Top analogue via LP s you have already off course
 
Last edited:

TDX

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2020
336
281
150
CH L1 is one of the best pre amp, especially to match with their own amp. Don’t really think it’s smart to mix with other pre amp. If you like tube, a DAC tube is a good idea indeed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MadFloyd

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
But speculating a bit :) mad floyd ... since you like the Dartzeel pre ( which replaced the CAT legend and is a tough act to follow imo )
I think its also an idea to try the darts 468 (458 ) , i read you only tried the 108 which might be insufficient in power with the M pro s .
Same could be said for CH by trying the L 1 / L10 combined with your M1.1.

Ps On the cheap/ " bang for buck " I d buy a well maintained Telefunken M 15 A as well , with tapes from Analogue productions ( Ultra tape ) , Hemiolia , Tape project.
Just for show off once in a while , even without a expensive external pre , just plug it directly into the pre amp via the stock telefunken cards and it ll blow your socks off :cool:.
Studers are also great but in general more expensive

Top analogue via LP s you have already off course
I do like the Dartzeel pre but I've never heard the 458s. However, I did hear the Dartzeel pre with 108 (with tape as source) in someone else's system and I hated it. It was way too bright for me.

I did once try the 108 but that was long before I had the Dartezeel pre. I forget which preamp I had at the time but it was a bad combination because there was NO highs at all.

I keep the Dartzeel around thinking I will switch back to it one day (for a change) and I'm curious to hear it with the CH M1.1s but it's been over 6 months that I have the M1.1s and I haven't done it! I haven't put the CAT JL7SEs back in either ... I guess you could say I'm addicted to this current configuration.

Oh, and I had many of the Analogue Production tapes as I started a tape collection.... but then I sold everything tape related. I did not like the medium. My LPs sounded better and I would have had to put a lot more money into hardware to make it compete. Given how crappy some of the tapes were and how much trouble it is to play tapes, I decided I would be happier without the format.
 

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,358
2,731
1,400
Amsterdam holland
Oh, and I had many of the Analogue Production tapes as I started a tape collection.... but then I sold everything tape related. I did not like the medium. My LPs sounded better and I would have had to put a lot more money into hardware to make it compete. Given how crappy some of the tapes were and how much trouble it is to play tapes, I decided I would be happier without the format.
I agree there are a lot of crappy tapes around for a lot of money .


I just realize( after reading) you are all set , you already have the whole package . :)


Amplification: CH Precision L10, P1/X1, M1.1 monos
 

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
I agree there are a lot of crappy tapes around for a lot of money .


I just realize( after reading) you are all set , you already have the whole package . :)


Amplification: CH Precision L10, P1/X1, M1.1 monos
Not exactly, I'm focusing on cabling and racks... :)
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing