Your All Time Favorite Preamplifiers?

[LL21]

I didn't try his amps.Just the 10Y preamp.It is very musical, quiet and works fine with tube and solid state amplifiers.

Thanks and good to know.

 

[LL21]

I have nothing negative to say about CJ or their designs, except that they are no longer my favorite.

On a positive note … I love the REF 6SE for the hyper musical detail that it brings to my system. I love the clarity. I love the lack of equipment induced drama and the incredibly black noise floor. I love the choice of balanced or single ended (I prefer balanced). I love the functionality of the user interface. I love how it pairs with my ARC REF250SE monoblocks, and how those drive my Sasha DAWs. I’ve never heard a CJ based system at any level (through the modern era) that sounded as right TO MY EARS..

That doesn’t mean that another might not prefer the ART 88/108A combination. At this level choices are matters of taste and personal preferences. Audiophiles make more of the gear than is warranted by the music. YMMV

Interesting insight given that, speaking for myself as an owner of CJ preamps for nearly 20 consecutive years...I too have moved over to Robert Koda. That does not in the slightest take away from the remarkable respect I have for CJ. And who knows? I have not heard their ART88.

But for me, the decision came down to (a first time ever since 2000) having preamp/amp by same designer. And that was Robert Koda. Their preamp came first, but also because intuitively I had an instinct about Robert's K160 mono amps. And here we are.

With the right system, I could imagine CJ ART88 and ART27a or 108 being absolutely set it and forget it beautiful. But with big Wilsons, they enjoy high quality big power.

 

[VinylSavor]

My All Time Favorite Preamp is Thomas Mayer 10Y pre.Much better than Soulution 721 in my system which I owned for few years.I currently use it with Wavac Ta-805m and Accuphase A-250 mono amps.

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Thanks for recommending my preamp Leszek!
BTW I am working on a new chassis style which I will offer as an alternative to the existing version.
Not finished yet but here a preview of how it will look like. This is the actual preamp and the power supply will come in the same style chassis. These chassis are designed such that they can be stacked. The side panels are still missing on the picture.

 

[bonzo75]

My All Time Favorite Preamp is Thomas Mayer 10Y pre.Much better than Soulution 721 in my system which I owned for few years.I currently use it with Wavac Ta-805m and Accuphase A-250 mono amps.

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I also like the Mayer 10y pre, and I think Soulution 720/725 is a great preamp for use with valve power amps when used with cone speakers or any tougher to drive speakers. did you also try the Soulution preamp with the wavac power amp, or only with the accuphase? What speakers?

 

[leszek]

I did use Soulution 721 with Wavac Ta-805 monos for some time with my Dynaudio Evidence Platinum.It wasn't bad but not musical enough for my taste.

 

[bonzo75]

I did use Soulution 721 with Wavac Ta-805 monos for some time with my Dynaudio Evidence Platinum.It wasn't bad but not musical enough for my taste.

are you only digital? or also analog?

 

[leszek]

Digital. But Apl-MR DSD Se Dac is pretty analog like.

 

[bonzo75]

Digital. But Apl-MR DSD Se Dac is pretty analog like.

Soulution with valve power amps makes a very big difference while using analog and good records, hence my question

 

[morricab]

Soulution with valve power amps makes a very big difference while using analog and good records, hence my question

There are many who can’t live with a SS preamp once they have heard a top tube preamp, regardless of what the perceived strengths are of that SS preamp.

 

[DasguteOhr]

There are many who can’t live with a SS preamp once they have heard a top tube preamp, regardless of what the perceived strengths are of that SS preamp.

Although from memory, I can think of 2-3 preamps that I could live with. gryphon xt, stan klyne pre sk5a and the horch elektroaukustik stage pre aka dynaudio arbiter successor

Link horch stage

Horch Referenz Stage and Powerstage

€47000 One of the absolute best preamps on the market. Sounds much better than Dynaudio Arbiter preamp. Horch Balance ...

wizard-highend.blogspot.com

 

[Atmasphere]

Could there be some other with more clarity.

Well sure- by direct-coupling the output of the preamp, the largest coupling cap (and thus also the largest impediment to transparency) is eliminated. Better bass, better soundstage, more detail, etc., what's not to like? There aren't that many tube preamps with direct-coupled outputs but they are worth pursuit.

 

[thomask]

Well sure- by direct-coupling the output of the preamp, the largest coupling cap (and thus also the largest impediment to transparency) is eliminated. Better bass, better soundstage, more detail, etc., what's not to like? There aren't that many tube preamps with direct-coupled outputs but they are worth pursuit.

I had never listened to Atma amp yet.

But I will have a chance tomorrow at Pacific Audiofest.

 

[Kingrex]

Are you there @Atmasphere Ralph. At pacific#

 

[Atmasphere]

Are you there @Atmasphere Ralph. At pacific#

No. I just got back from the hardest bicycle race in the world, the Tour Divide (didn't win...).

It seems to me though that a customer has our class D amps at the show.

 

[dinov]

Main system: C2300 with Amprex medical 12ax7 tubes. Vintage system: MX110z, Honorable mention: MX130.

 

[Another Johnson]

I posted earlier in this thread that I am a fan of the ARC REF 6SE, and this is still true. At $20k it seems to me to be a worthy choice. I love mine.

But I’ve now found something I like even better … the Burmester 088. It costs 50+% more and it’s solid state, but it really delivers the goods.

 

[Porsche]

I posted earlier in this thread that I am a fan of the ARC REF 6SE, and this is still true. At $20k it seems to me to be a worthy choice. I love mine.

But I’ve now found something I like even better … the Burmester 088. It costs 50+% more and it’s solid state, but it really delivers the goods.

the ref6se is a nice piece but once you get into the burmester 088 & 077 its a far different level, I tried both, chose the 077, super nice gear

 

[Porsche]

the ref6se is a nice piece but once you get into the burmester 088 & 077 its a far different level, I tried both, chose the 077, super nice gear

oops, my bad, I demo the 808, not the 088

 

[Tabl10s]

i like sonic frontiers two color design black/silver. no electrolytic capacitor in the audio part except for the heating voltage tubes exemplary will work error-free for a long time. superb sounding.View attachment 98434View attachment 98435View attachment 98436

Got to borrow this when I was in the Air Force and living in the barracks. Ran hot but, I probably had the best system on base, if only temporarily so.

 

[Jazzhead]

There are many who can’t live with a SS preamp once they have heard a top tube preamp, regardless of what the perceived strengths are of that SS preamp.

Have a listen to the Koda 15ex .... I have compared it to a few tube pre amps in my rig .. namely the Wavac Prt 1 and Zanden 3000 ... much prefer the SS pre , now mated with the Zanden 9600 .

Be interested to know....Which tube pre amps,are in the top echelon according to you?