SUNFIRE vs COUNTERPOINT

You really need to compare the Counterpoint SA-5.1 instead of the SA-5000. Contrary to popular misconception, the SA-5.1 is superior to the SA-5000 and Michael Elliott who designed both will tell you that. The SA-5000 is filled with SS components and it does not have the same tube power supply voltage regulation that the 5.1 has. The SA-5000 is newer than the 5.1 and has a bigger chassis than the 5.1 and sold for more than the 5.1, but it was never better than the 5.1. The only *advantages* that the SA-5000 had over the 5.1 is that the 5000 can take low output MC cartridges straight in thanks to the J-FETs tied to the phono section tubes (which Mike removes if you send in the 5000 for an upgrade)and the loading is adjustable from the front panel instead of plug in resistors in the 5.1. However, with the 5.1 you can plug in whatever value of resistors you want and with the 5000 you are stuck with the set values. The bottom line is that the SA-5.1 is a much better sounding preamp than the SA-5000.

Are you talking about the 5000A? I've heard of the SA-5000 and SA-5000A Not sure i remember the 5.1. I have to check out the Altavista website. Thanks.

I have never heard of the 5000A, only the SA-5000. So no, I was strictly talking about the SA-5000 in comparison to the SA-5.1. The SA-5.1 is one of the biggest steals in high-end preamps if you can find one for sale. We traded off my brother's SA-5000 to a guy with an SA-5.1 because my brother was tired of waiting for one to show up for sale. He would have made some money had he sold the SA-5000 and bought the SA-5.1 outright. It was just a way to smoke one out from someone who thought the SA-5000 was better.

Lol! Smoke one out? Nice. I looked up the 5.1 on Altavista. I remember it now, but I never heard it. The 5000A was a later version of the 5000. I don't recall what the difference between the two was. Thanks for the info.

Snoop65-Well, it's true. My brother didn't think I could pull it off, but I knew I could get someone who had an SA-5.1 to trade straight across for the *better* SA-5000 and I did.