preamp to mate with McCormack DNA 1

For hard to beat value I was mainly referring to the used price for the Placette. I picked up mine used locally, but still think it's a good value at list price. I thought the Bent Audio passive was more expensive than that. I've been hearing a lot of good about that one also.

4yanx, to be more precies I'd say it might or might not take a long time to break-in. Theoretically inside the trans there is a large deal of reactive interfearance between isolation wires and core that might not sound right firstly but will eventually shape within 20...50hrs of signal.

20-50 hours. A mere nanosecond in relation to audiophile time! :-)

Eagle, please know that I wasn't trying to "one-up" the Placette, on a cost basis. I've heard it is very good, also. Actually, the Bent CAN be had a bit cheaper in kit form, but because I have only recently reacquainted my hand with a soldering iron, I let it best to let John Chapman do the construction.

...to my simple philosophy about breakin'-in i'd say that $hit will never become a flower within the time and there are ONLY small changes occur during that period. much more larger proccesses occur with human psychological and audiable adoptation (even during these 20...50 hours).

speakers and source devices have one more mechanical factor blended with both mentioned above.