Preamp Deal of the Century

Hi Larry

I think the appeal of the Supratek is the value, aesthetics (if you happen to find the open architecture attractive) and performance. What caught my attention was the description of its sound, which in my experience comes with a much higher price tag. Liquid, dynamic, resolving with excellent bass from a tube pre usually involves a hefty power supply, which aren't done on the cheap. Consistent descriptions of this pre delivering these qualities at 2.5K open ones eyes. At least it did mine.

There are many in this hobby that are value driven for several reasons, limited resources and the fact that some don't want to spend more than is necessary regardless of the resources available. What Mick Maloney has managed with this pre is to offer a product that is within the price reach of any serious music lover without too many compromises other than the fact that there is a wait involved because it is individually hand assembled by Mick himself, another appealing fact.

There is no doubt the First Sound pre is a great piece and its upgradeability is another appealing reason for its consideration. Still it starts at 500.00 more than the Supratek Sarah and doesn't include a phono stage. The point is that the value of Supratek products can not be overstated. There are many audiophiles that will pass on it because they don't want to wait and they would be wary of service from a one-man shop on the other side of the world, something to think about. On the other hand when you hear this pre-amp first hand the considerations should be, do I want to wait and locating a tech who can fix the pre if there is a problem. I would expect that problems would be minimal but would arise initially as they do with most products. These problems could be resolved through Mick. His service ethic is top notch but one must remember, he is a one-man shop and isn't superman.

The price/performance of the Supratek Sarah and Chardonney is definitely worth these considerations. Interestingly enough, I was just speaking to someone last week concerning this pre vs. a First Sound. He is going ahead with the First Sound because he doesn't want to wait and he is afraid of not getting prompt service if something does go awry. I am sure this will keep many folks from considering this great product. I did have a problem during shipping, it seems customs cut an opening in the box to inspect it and "threw" the pre back in without properly repacking it. When I received it, the cans were resting on the bottom of the box without any support, the rectifier tube and cord were missing and 2 tubes were shattered along with some minor damage to the wood case, which I repaired. Everything else was ok. Mick was extremely upset with this development and offered to send a new pre out to me the next day! I was also upset but did calm down a bit after I finally got some tubes in it to listen, didn't have any 6sn7's on hand so had to wait. The point is that he was extremely concerned and responsive and I was just so blown away by the music coming from the pre that the shipping problems I did have just went out the window. I never even bothered to file a claim to Fed-ex since it really wasn't their fault. What I was really pissed at and still am is that the apes working for customs didn't show the respect for personal property that they should and will never will because they are immune from the consequences of their actions.

On another tangent but one worth considering to all that read this is to please report this when and if it happens to you. Only if enough do will steps be taken to change the procedures of inspections. There is really no excuse for the condition of the contents I received. It really did look as though a kid threw the contents in the box without the LEAST consideration for its safe arrival to its final destination.

Hey, Larry--
The First Sound is an excellent preamp, no question. I had it in my system for nearly a year and enjoyed every minute of it. I could have lived happily with it, I believe, were it not that I wanted to get back into vinyl, wanted a pre with a phono stage, and stumbled upon this thread when it first appeared. In short, I did wind up ordering a Syrah and put in my six months of waiting like everyone else, so I have had the opportunity to compare and contrast these two preamps.

The First Sound definitely paints a blacker background and is less sensitive to tube noise, although the Supratek can get pretty quiet if you fiddle around long enough with isolation and, more importantly, getting good tubes. It takes a little time, but is well worth the effort. Still, advantage in this area goes to First Sound, which has the lowest noise floor I have heard in my system to date. It is almost eerie, especially for a tube preamp.

Also, the First Sound is incredibly dynamic. Matched with components that are up to the task, this preamp will rock your world. It has incredible impact on all kinds of music. If you lean toward solid state, but want some tube warmth in your system, the First Sound may be the ticket for you, as it has NONE of the "mushiness" frequently associated with tubes. It is clean and clear as a whistle, but without any grain or stridency.

The Supratek, on the other hand, is much more liquid and has a far better layering of instruments, WITHOUT sacrificing dynamics. By comparison, the First Sound seems almost compressed. I think this is the main reason so many people are in love with the Syrah. As has been said before, there is something about its presentation that just feels "right." With a lot of audio gear, even the First Sound, I am more aware of listening to the gear--this one does that better, that one does this better--than the music. That can be fun, but it's not really what it's all about for me. With the Supratek, you can let all of that go and just enjoy the music. I have found nothing in high end audio that I would consider as purely musical as the Supratek.

Some people may prefer the First Sound, and it is a terrific pre, but I much prefer the Syrah in my system. Believe me, it was worth the wait. With the best restaurants, it will be the meal you remember, and not the wait. The same thing applies here, I think.

Best of luck.

Larry,

You are quite within your rights to 'question' rather than just 'take a leap of faith' by purchasing a Supratek. But look at the specifications and design implementation of the Supratek, and you'll know it's built like no other.

Tubegoover & Waltersalas have put it nicely, and I don't need to say much more, however:

Firstly, on aesthetics alone the Supratek Syrah is a gotta-have product, it looks like a million dollars and like it's just come out some funky Art Studio. The combination of Jarrah timber and chrome works really well and scintillates. It illicits positive comments from every visitor to my home (without exception so far).

Secondly, it definitely has the sound to match!

Thirdly, I'm not familiar with the First Sound pre, but compare it's construction to Supratek. Is it hard wired with silver or is it full of thin printed circuit boards? Has it got a separate power supply with a huge toroidal transformer the size most 100w power amps have? Is it Single Ended Triode? Lithium Battery biased? Transformer Coupled? does it use valves for Rectification/Regulation? Does it use expensive Auriecaps? If the answer is 'No' to a lot of these questions, then there is no way it will be as good as the Supratek.

Like all things in audio (especially with writings on the net) it is good to question and enquire, sort out the bulls_ _ _ from the truth, but to me there's no contest between Supratek and the others as it provides good value and 'Holy Grail' type sound to boot.

Regards,

Steve M

Stevem,
The First Sound is hand wired with separate power supply. Plus it is completely copper enclosed inside the outer shell, helping with EMI/FR rejection. Even the fans of the wonderful Supratek, (I am one without hearing it) would say that with a one to one comparison it is quieter.
I guess the question is: and this haunts all grail hunters, which one is better?
Obviously sometimes it is a function of matching etc, and not emperically true for everyone.
Mick is a great guy, but I always question 4 to 7 month waits, with associated service issues.
Tubegroover is an obviously good listener, and I already respect his writings. So if he likes it that is enough for me. And I have seen almost all of these things first hand in my travels to 100 stores working inside the industry.
Thanks
Larry

Hi Larry,

From your description the First Sound pre looks like it's got great potential! I understand your apprehension about waiting a few months for the Supratek, but you know the old saying 'good things come to those who wait'.

BTW, the Supratek also has a solid copper chassis under that shiney chrome exterior.

Regards,

Steve M.