Oh God, I love it when I'm right. Its a $10K pre, or more, for @ $2K. As for Joule comparison, I wrote the Joule TAS review many moons ago and I've kept them both. Joule is slower, creamier upper mids - which I like. Syrah is "cleaner" but without any Nordost-like harmonic stripping (which some, eventually, call "lean" when describing Nordost). More people will like the Syrah. Dynamics are incredible and also on the phono, which, for the money, is the best hi-end value I've ever seen. Best dynamic/liquidity balance I've heard while maintaing harmonic presentation. For all of you who bitch about the bullshit of the hi-end mag/manuf/advertisment/reveiewer propaganda machine, this is the one you've been waiting for that restores your faith in (audio) mankind. I've permanently resigned from the hiend, but would like some of you guys to hear a gorgeous piece for a price that is more than fair.
The big mags will never review it - no "upside", if you know what I mean - so you'll have to take the jump yourself, or find one of these lucky ones who bought one to let you listen.
On tubes, I arrived at the KenRad black 6SN7's, which IMHO are mandatory - deep, layered, rich, homeric (I just, er, had to use that term once..). Tall Mullard GZ32 on rectifier. Good luck. Glad you ended up happy BWhite.
