2. amps-preamps
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Shindo Monbrison better a RedWine Isabella?

I'm consistently intrigued by the Shindo gear, and I'm eyeballing a Monbrison pre to replace my Redwine Audio Isabella pre. I've currently got the system synergy thing going with RedWIne 70.2s (all Auditorium cabling, Devore Nines). Am I barking up the wrong tree here and about to destroy a good thing, or can I expect higher levels of audio engagement with the Shindo at the heart of things? Thank you in advance.
westexdent
latinsamba1
74 posts
 
The Monbrison is a fine preamp just make sure its an impedance match with the Red Wine amps. There is a lot more information and Red Wine owners over on the Audiocircle forum. A good person to contact would be Louis at Omega Loudspeakers. He has a lot of experience with Red Wine (he used to use Red Wine at shows paired with his loudspeakers) and would give you an impartial opinion about which tube preamps would provide good synergy.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
The Monbrison will drive anything. The Zout is very low. It is sometimes misstated as 5K but that is actually the minimum recommended load.
bnrlaw
130 posts
 
The Monbrison's output impedance is 5k. I think you are mistaken about it being able to drive anything.
All of the Shindo preamps higher up than the Monbrison in the line-up do have low output imdedances that can essentially drive any amps because they have transformers that lower their impedance. The Aurieges, Aurieges-L and the Monbrison do not and, consequently, their output impedance is in the 5k range. You must be more careful matching amps with the Monbrison than a Massetto, Giscours etc.
vinyljh
46 posts
 
Everybody is an expert... If you want answers about proper or improper matches, just email. Asking questions, especially of a technical nature, on forums result in poor and often incorrect info. And many times answers with an agenda.

The input impedance of ther Redwine is 100K ohms, where is the problem or debate? Any pre-amp will work technically.

And Shindo and Manley are quite different in every respect. Not a commentary on sonics of one or the other, just an FYI that the comparison is incorrect.
paulfolbrecht
603 posts
 
Thanks for chiming in, Vinyljh. FWIW, I was repeating what I'd heard from you awhile back concerning the drive-ability/Zout of the lower-end Shindo preamps.

Of course you are correct that it's best to seek information from people who sell & know the product best and that this question is moot anyway with the RE gear.

(And FWIW I did occasionally use my Monbrison with a solid-state amp with low Zin (10K) and experienced none of the issues associated with an impedance mismatch. Which I'm sure won't be surprising to you!)
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