2. amps-preamps
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Source Mod or Preamp?

 Hey guys,
   Was curious what people thought between two upgrade choices I was considering. Due to fixed disability and limited funds, I can only choose to save for one. I want to add some tubes into the mix, so I was looking at an Oppo Modwright Truth vs. say SP14 preamp. With the side upgrades, both should be around the same price.

   My question for people familiar with these two pieces is which one do you think would be a "better" bang for the money if you could only choose one? A tube mod Oppo I read is nice and can still feed directly into my amp. Or will running the stock Oppo though a nice tube preamp be the way to go?
 
  My equipment is very simple, so no need for many preamp connections (no TT, etc.) only an Oppo run directly into a First Watt J2, then to Spatial Audio M4s. I think adding a few tubes into the chain maybe nice, just not sure which I should save for, I have never heard either. Thanks in advance.
cisgo

Showing 1 response by randy-11

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
my choice has been to get a used ARC pre-amp

DACs evolve at a rapid rate but a good pre-amp will last years before a really significant upgrade in SQ comes along, so will be very cost effective to do the DAC every couple or few years

there is a new USB DAC out now that claims to have solved the galvanic isolation problem (iFI IIRC) and it is quite cheap

then there is your source material - even w/o going past the redbook std. there are huge improvements to be made from re-releases of any CDs you have from the early to mid-1980s


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