2. amps-preamps
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mbl 6011d or arc ref 3 or dartzeel preamp?

hi,

I am looking for a balanced preamp for my system. I have narrowed it down to the dartzeel preamp, the mbl6011d or arc ref 3. The dartzeel preamp would mate best with the dartzeel amp that I have but am not positive I would keep the dartzeel amp. I am using emm labs dac and transport for digital and evolution acoustic speaker mm2 (with powered woofer). The speakers are definitely staying. the digital is stayin unless I cannot afford to keep everything.

If I changed my amplifier, I would likely stay with a solid state amplifier perhaps the mbl amplifier. I might consider a hybrid like the lamm 1.2

I have only seen scant reviews of the mbl 6011d and know a few people here love it but want to know has anyone compared it to the arc 3 or dartzeel?

thanks

mike

radioheadokplayer
radioheadokplayer OP
181 posts
 
well I just heard the arc ref 3 in my system thanks to the generosity of Marty Williams.

I must say that the arc ref 3 is not a dramatic change from the emm labs preamp dcc2se. The emmlabs holds it own very well.

I think that my choice really boils down to keeping the emmlabs dcc2se as a preamp or getting the dartzeel.

Luckily, jonathan tinn is a fabulous audiophile dealer who is going to let me hear the dartzeel and then I will know whether the dartzeel preamp with bnc is far superior as a preamp with the dartzeel amp or not.

Michael
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Good call Michael!
microstrip
180 posts
 
I own an Audio Research ref 3 and one year ago I also tried it with the Dartzeel amp. Best sound was using the umbalanced RCA input with the ref 3 in the invert position, but when the Dartzeel preamp with the BNC Dartzeel interconnect cable replaced the ref 3 there was a clear improvement in bass and sound "fluidity". I did not keep the Dartzeels as they did not have power enough for my speakers, but I think they work as a system.
When using the Dartzeel preamp try the umbalanced inputs - I found that the balanced input did not sound as good the RCA one.
BTW, I got excellent sound from the Dartzeels using both Audio Research CD7 and the Nagra CDP.
mount_rose_music's avatar
mount_rose_music
116 posts
 
I've had both 6010d and arc-3. More romance with arc, more flexibility with MBL.. and less noise. I think the soundstage wider with arc, deeper with MBL ... I could absolutely live with either although as my 101s are tipped up a bit in the treble, you hear the tube noise more.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,003 posts
 
I'm really puzzled at how these three preamps came to be in the short list- they seem so different.

Balanced line offers the flexibility of extended cables without degradation, and the balanced line system was devised with the intention of eliminating interconnect cable problems! IOW, a proper balanced line setup will allow you to use an inexpensive cable to very good effect- that is what it is for, and how Mercury, RCA, EMI and others were able to make such fabulous records long before the existance of a high end cable industry.

FWIW we have a customer who has the DartZeel and uses it with our preamp (the MP-1) which is fully balanced. He is very happy with the setup, so a balanced preamp will work fine with the DartZeel no worries.
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