Preamp Deal of the Century

slowhand:

last email i sent an email to mick regarding the kt88. he said he was a couple of weeks out waiting on a transformer supplier. shoot him a line as this was about a month ago when i emailed him i believe.

kenji:

the cabernet is able to use px4, 300b, and another dht which i can't remember. i'm not even sure if mick is still using the 101d though i'm sure he would if asked to do so. he said he prefers the new dual 6SN7 design over the dht design and he encountered issues with owners frying their dht because they'd forget to switch to the proper voltage and complaints of microphonics.

Slowhand: No, I have not heard the KT88 amps yet and I'm not sure of their release date, but it should be soon as KG says ??

Kenji: that sounds like unacceptably high levels of microphonics in your Cabernet. Its usually tube related. My Grange has a small amount of microphonics with EH-300B tubes and absolutely NONE with the TJ-300B or 45 tubes.

BTW, the meshplate TJ-300B is magnificent sounding! Its not even close, it makes the others sound crude in comparison.

Regards,

Steve.

Steve, even with all stock tubes, the microphonic issue is still bothering me. May be is the casing or inadequate damping. I had tried all sorts all isolation methods but failed. I am going to move to a bigger listening room to try it out.

Kgturner, Mick switched to PX4 tubes when he was making mine in December 2004. PX4 tubes were superior to 101D according to him. I like the PX4 sound pretty much. Later I sent it back for "upgrading" to accept 300B tubes as well. So far I prefer the PX4.

Supratek Grange Based System - My Pictures ...in case any of you might be interested, I spent some time uploading pictures and reviews of my audio system on the Audiogon Systems Ever Evolving pages. Go to:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1146370182

Hope you enjoy looking at it...

Regards,

Steve.

Regarding the microphonics of the DHTs, I also have had considerable "challenges". The most important factor, I've found, is the sensitivity of the amplifier. With very high sensitivity amps, such as my ASL Hurricanes, the microphonics are very noticable. Yes- I can also hear my voice when speaking in the room near the preamp and no music playing. I've experimented with the PX-4s, 45s and 300Bs. I've found that the 300Bs (especially the WE)are the least sensitive to microphonics; the PX-4s and 45s the most. With a lower sensitivity amp (or placing attenuators in the line between the pre and amp), it's less noticable or goes away. Having said all this, if you can listen past the microphonics, I've found that the incredible dynamic range, musicality, transparancy and openness of the DHTs are worth the trouble. I am currently using EML 45s in my Grange. I have a Cortese modified to Grange currently for sale on Audiogon that changed out the DHTs for single triodes to offer less microphonics.