Hi, I felt a bit uneasy that I received my Syrah before you guys. I guess my unit being 230V may have helped to reduce the lead production time (Australia is also on 230V).
I was skeptical of what had been said about this pre but now I can confirm what was said is accurate. It is an experience having this preamp in the system and it is difficult to reconcile the price/ performance ratio of this product to others.
My main reason of this post is to remind new owners that when you receive your unit, do thoroughly go through and understand Mick's 3 page instructions before you plug it in. He expects we are all experienced and responsible triode amp users and unlike the more established corporations, his documentation may be considered brief.
The sound of the pre changes at every session as it continues to improve by the burn in. Experiment with the different gains settings. There are a few combinations. I am currently setting the internal pair of switches on low and the switch at the back highest. The various combinations do sound different.
Experiment also with the different phono loadings, I was surprised the loading that works best for me is not the usual loading of my previous pres. When I mentioned this to Mick's S E Asia distributor this was the reply from Mick:
ÂThe phono, like all my products is a little unconventional and will react differently than other pres- I'm glad he found the sweet spot. Once he gets used to the possibilities of the Syrah, he may find more surprises.Â
What had been said on tubes in previous posts are excellent advice.
Thanks again for sharing the discovery of this preamp.
Happy listening,