2. amps-preamps
  3. 172464-113867

Preamp recommendations for my system please

I think it’s now time in my audio journey to find a quality preamp. A pair of JC1 monoblocks are driving Wilson Yvette. dCS Bartök is ordered and will be my digital side (with a Roon Nucleus). Luxman PD171-A with Jelco 850 tonearm and Hana ML cart, with a Channel D Lino C 2.2 phono stage, on the analog side. 

 

I’d like the preamp to be truly balanced. Needs two pair of balanced/XLR inputs (phono stage and steamer/DAC). Under $10K if at all possible. My short list includes:

 

Audio Research LS28

Audio Research Ref 6SE (used only and still probably a stretch)

Ayre Acoustics KX-5 Twenty

Backert Labs Rhythm 1.3 

Parasound JC2

 

You’re going to ask me what I’m looking for in a preamp. Beyond what I’ve mentioned, I honestly don’t know. I’m open to all suggestions. I appreciate the help of this forum. Thank you. 

kcpellethead
ghdprentice
6,805 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara

 

+1

 

Occasionally in the corporate world some employee that skirted on the edge of getting fired would finally reach his melting point, write an email copied to all employees condemning the incompetence of everyone around and above him and quit. It would bring a smile to my face because the content of the memo would so completely discredit him in every ones eyes that none of us on the executive staff would bother to comment to each other, only a sigh of relief and move on to something with substance. I don't think anyone in the company would read more than a sentence.

jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
953 posts
 

Check out the Bryston BR -20

rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
268 posts
 

I have an Allnic L7000 SE and have no reservations recommending it.  Used under 10K.

pavel_dosko's avatar
pavel_dosko
29 posts
 

I really love my passive dual mono pream Big Hattor 

https://www.hattor.com/dualmono_preamp_the_big.html

helomech
1,633 posts
 

Try the Benchmark LA4 if absolute transparency is one of your goals. Prior to owning a Benchmark stack, I was of the belief that distortion and noise performance is not so critical. Turns out that notion is very wrong. I figure the reason that some low THD+N products sound mediocre is because they still suffer from significant crossover and intermodulation distortion, and channel crosstalk. 

 

Returning to tubes following a stint with the Benchmark gear reveals that those supposedly innocuous low-order harmonics are indeed a detriment, especially with respect to listening fatigue. 

More to discover