2. amps-preamps
  3. 1355823935

Tube Pre-Amp Recommendation

Im new to this forum but have spent few months reading into posts. The more i read the more i get confused on my first purchase of a Good quality Tube Pre-amp. At this very moment I have always used Solid states pre-amp but after hearing the Audio Research Arc Ref 5 and 3 I am on the upgrade bug. Considering these units cost allot of money I need some suggestion if there are other Tube Pre-Amp which can either match similar levels to the Arc Ref 5 or better it.

I am not bothered about name brands or looks of the unit rather on how it presents the music to me.
I have not own a Tube Gear before in my life, and not sure on how to go about it. BTW I am in Indonesia (A British Expat Working and Living Here)

Demoing unit is out of the question here, even buying a unit here is so much more expensive then back at home In the UK. I prefer to Buy from USA (Will use a Power converter if needed)

My Current Setup is:
Speakers: Philharmonics 3
Amplifier: Audio GD Master 2 Series Mono Blocks (Will Upgrade Later to Krell, Macintosh or Pass)
CD player: Oppo 95 Using on Board DAC for the time being. Looking to upgrade later on for DAC
Room: Heavily treated, with Foam, Acoustic Panels, Bass Traps in all 4 Corners.

Budget less than 6000 Dollars.

Need Performance Level Matching that of Arc Ref 5Se or better.

Need suggestion and opinion on how to go about this. I prefer fasting sound more to neutral. Slight warm but not too much. I did find Cary SLP05 Pretty Warm, however on Ebay it slipped my fingers otherwise I was going to pull the trigger on that. I will being pairing this with Solid State Amplifier don’t want to get into Power Amps using Tubes for the next few years at least.

Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks Guys
dragon_vibe
ilidra
21 posts
 
Emotive Audio preamps are excellent.
Epifania is top of line pre. But expensive.
Emotive Sira is also excellent. Cost less. In your price range. I have moded Sira and I can tell you-excellent pre. My best pre. Close to Epifania sound.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,784 posts
 
Dragon_Vibe, So far you've not mentioned what kind of amp you have other than it is solid state. Does it have a balanced input? Do you know the input impedance?

This might help a little in your search. Some preamps (ARC for example) don't seem to like it if the input impedance is less than about 20-30K ohms.

If your amp has a balanced input, its likely that it will sound better if the preamp is balanced. So if you are still looking for input, this information from you might be helpful ;)
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg
9,670 posts
 
Ralph, note this statement in the OP's initial post:
Amplifier: Audio GD Master 2 Series Mono Blocks (Will Upgrade Later to Krell, Macintosh or Pass)
The Audio GD Master 2 is indicated as being a fully balanced design, with an XLR input impedance of 94K and sensitivity of 4V rms. It is rated at 250W into 8 ohms and 500W into 4 ohms. It only provides RCA inputs if they are custom ordered.

Best regards,
-- Al
facten
2,876 posts
 
Ultimately, is a "craftsman's" ability to do what he does best really impacted by simply taking an hour or so to provide some modicum of detail that his customers can view, and thereby get better acquainted with his products? It would seem somewhat more practical to provide a degree of information than having to answer the same questions over and over via email or phone, and less time consuming.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Tonywinsc, you bring up many very good questions, and each buyer will have to answer these to their own personal satisfaction. There are no absolute guarantees in life, and sometimes even big name high end companies go out of business, witness Counterpoint, Threshold, etc.

Yes, on average ARC, Krell, VAC, CJ, etc., may be a safer bet than TRL, Doshi, Messenger, Clayton, etc., but they are still a risk, especially when considering the risk/reward scenerio of a Sony/Denon/Marantz purchase. It's a lot like buying stock, you can buy a low risk, low reward stock or be more adventurous and roll the dice on a high risk, high reward stock. That's what makes life interesting, and many people will have many different views on what is right. It all boils down to what is right.....for you, the buyer.

Remember though that all of these high end audio companies are a bit riskier investment than say a Sony, Denon or Marantz. Most of us here gamble to some degree. The only difference is how high of a risk/reward gamble we are willing to take.
More to discover