Preamp Deal of the Century

Asa - phono is astonishing and I don't even have the Syrah phono stage (yet). Simply using a Black Cube into my Chardonnay, I've acheived sonics that surpass all previous attempts at making digital sound "good". I haven't listened to a CD for about 6 weeks now and don't plan to. High end digital is a bit of a joke.

Mick plans to give me 100% trade in value for my Chardonnay when upgrading to the Syrah. That's fair :) 3 or 4 month wait though... Argh! So, I'm considering using a Walker Reference phono into the Chardonnay to see what that does - best of both worlds perhaps? Who knows... The Black Cube/Chardonnay is great as is and certainly kills other one box pre/phono units available, I'm sure the Syrah is better but I have a feeling that as long as the Supratek is in there somewhere, the magic will be there too.

HaHa! Oh, I'm having a good laugh, Bwhite! I have taken so much flack over the last few months from members, about promoting vinyl over digital. It's so good to hear someone else saying it for a change.

Regarding other's comments about "quiet" tubes, they will not be as quiet as SS preamps. Especially in the phono section. But, quiet is not what we're after, is it? You can get "quiet" by turning the unit off. A reasonably low noise floor is all that is needed if the music is coming out.

I use 1950's Sylvania 6SN7's in my Berning, and they are very musical sounding to me.

Quiet, is something deadly that has been done to us by the digital/SS world. Quiet background, at the expense of musical content. I'm happy to take the little tube noise, and the vinyl ticks, to get a truer musical experience, any day. YMMV, as they say.

IMHO.

Enjoy your preamps, guys. It sounds like a wonderful value to me, and I'm glad to hear so much reporting on it. I feel like I almost know what it is like to own one. One day, maybe I will.

Jwu5918, my friend has a Cortese and he is uning PS300 for his digital front end. the Cortese is plugges straight into the wall.
I used to use a PS600 and found that even though it was providing its wom "new" current, that plugging directly into the wall sounded better (more dynamic).

I also had my Syrah plugged into a PS300. It improved detail but I thought it restricted the overall sound, like something was holding the music back. I got an Audio Magic Stealth and am very happy with it. Sound is more extended both up and down and wonderfully musical. YMMV.

ditto on twl on quiet vestigial enlivened silence vs. SS blackness or voidness. Listen to pre with music and the space will be what it supposed to be.

twl, I can't stand it anymore! You have a great system, really know your analog, and the Magus is a fine pre (I assume you've got it tweeked), BUT, YOU HAVE TO GET A SYRAH!! At your point of appreciation its simply a CRIME that you can't get into one. I don't care if you have to find pennies in behind the sofa cushions and starve, GET ONE as soon as you can!!

There, I feel better....

Bwhite, very happy for you. A guy with a great system told me a couple of months ago that his Aesthetix external PS, NOS tubed, two box IO w/ vol. pots direct into amps inched out the Syrah in a couple areas, and I believe him (perhaps in his system), but for the $ in one chassis, there is NOTHING that touches the Syrah. Everyone should tell the gurus to stuff it for their next purchase and get one (then do the same with a Teres TT, also a great value).

Incidentally, my Syrah didn't like the Bybee Sig conditioner I had around; likes to be plugged directly into the wall if you can believe that (!).

Would be interested to hear what PC's you guys have tried on it. Thanks in advance.