2. amps-preamps
  3. 1414950877

Looking for Tube Pre-Amp Recommendations

Just got a pair of Avalon Ascendants and have them mated with Sonic Frontiers Power 3 monoblocks and an old Conrad Johnson PV 12 pre-amp (will be upgrading my old Meridian 508 cd player too but want to settle on the pre-amp first).

Looking to upgrade the pre-amp as the Avalon's are either showing up the pre-amp and or it's just not a good fit (it worked well with my Thiel 6's). So, looking for a recommendation for a replacement tube pre-amp. I'm fine buying used. Don't want to spend more than $5,000.

Curious if anyone knows the newer CJ stuff? I liked their sound years ago and it worked with the Thiels but now curious if a better more recent CJ pre-amp (like the CT5) would mate well with the Avalon's? One person told me he didn't think it was a good fit (he thought the new CJ's were "pudgy" sounding and not quick and airy enough for the Avalon's).

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.
dkonstruction
knghifi
1,668 posts
 
Looking to upgrade the pre-amp as the Avalon's are either showing up the pre-amp and or it's just not a good fit (it worked well with my Thiel 6's).
What's problem with the sound? What makes you think problem is pre? Avalon sounds very different than Thiel.

I've had SF Power 3SE+ and SF Line3SE+ (mod to the MAX by PCX) and many more SF pre so VERY familiar with their sound.
tango_tilingo
47 posts
 
I have the Audio Research LS27 and it sound very very good outstanding sound stage and dynamic dead quiet noise floor, great sound Pre Amp. Good luck.Tango
bugredmachine's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
bugredmachine
431 posts
 
I'm posting my Dude for sale on other sites right now. Worried I can better it, but have the itch. It is a very musical preamp and built like a tank as well. Never had a bit of trouble with except the anodize on the front plate which has been replated this year.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,793 posts
 
Based on the specs I am seeing online for the speaker, I think your bottleneck is the interface between the speakers and the amp. You are making the amp do a lot of work to drive the speakers to a reasonable volume. The speakers are 4 ohms, which increases distortion (in all amps, not just tube amps) and will also reduce power and bandwidth on account of the output transformer in the amp.

I think you would be a lot better off with a speaker that is more efficient and higher impedance. You can do that without sacrificing sound quality. A good example would be a set of Dreammaker 2s from Audiokinesis. They are 16 ohms, and about 95 db, meaning that you would need about 1/8th the power or so to make the same sound pressure, and the Dreammakers go just as low if not lower.

I would give this consideration. You can make incremental improvement by replacing the preamp, but you can have transformation by replacing the speakers. I am not saying the speakers are bad BTW, just that your amplifier does not match well with them.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Atmasphere,

If the OP gets the Audiokinesis you recommend at 95db, it opens up the door for some gain related hiss/noise due to the speakers being so efficient. Do you think it might be an issue in this case, with the OP's current gear? I have a pair of Wilsons rated at 94db, and had that problem until I found components that were a better match for the speakers.
More to discover