2. amps-preamps
  3. 1064333571

Personal Preamp Evolution

I found the the threads on the amplifier evolution very intriguing,the speaker evolution thread as well .I am not sure if there is already a thread regarding preamps.Many of us failed to mention their preamps[myself included] in the amplifier thread.After all, it really is an amplifier per say.
1967...Dyna pas 2 from a kit
1974...Dayton wright spa
1975...Mark Levinson JC-2
1976...Audio Research SP-3
1977... Van Alistine mods on Sp-3a,removed tone controls etc
1981...Audio Research Sp-6a
1982... revised to sp-6b
1983...traded back to the Audio Research sp-3a and modded further
1976..Audio Research Sp-10,revised to 10b[still in use]
1990...MFA Luminescence B[still my reference]
1996...ARC sp-8 mk2,Cat SL1 signature MK2
2000...DIY line stage,tube rectified,6sn-7gt's for gain.
2002 to present...Supratek Syrah,

ecclectique
sheffb
64 posts
 
1970 Citation SS
1974 Naim SS
1976 ML JC-1
1978 ML 1
1982 ML 10
2002 Pass Labs X2
2003 Pass Labs X2.5
theduke
372 posts
 
Souncraftsmen PE-2217R
Bryston 1B
Hafler DH-110
Audio Research SP-6C
Audible Illusions L-1
rwd
695 posts
 
Let's see.......Hummmm..

MacIntoch C28
GAS Therdra
Mark Levinson ML-1
ARC SP6
ARC SP6A
ARC SP6B (loved it)
ARC SP 8
Conrad Johnson 5
ARC SP 9
ARC LS 25 mkl & ARC PH 3se
oneprof
147 posts
 
Belles (forget the model number, don't have it anymore), Transcendent GG, ARC LS-15, David Berning microzotl modified to act as a preamp, Eastern Electric Minimax, and (hopefully very soon) Tron COmet. Still have the Transcendent, Berning and Minimax.
rsuminsby's avatar
rsuminsby
152 posts
 
1976 - Dynaco PAT-4: a great starter pre-amp (used initially just with a pair of Koss Pro 4AA headphones), but suffered from the "Dynaco hum".

1977 - Phase Linear 4000: one heck of a piece if gear for a college freshman! I scrimped and saved all summer for it....

1981 - Nikko (forget the model #)

1983 - Apt Holman Model One. A great piece of gear, one I wish I still had for old time's sake. Had a unique "fade" control from stereo L/R to Mono.

1985 - PS Audio 4.5, later upgraded to 4.6....still use this to this day as a phono pre-map. The "straight-wire" mode is outstanding. Had an unusually large outboard transformer for a pre-amp; perhaps Paul McGowan's early experimentation with power conditioning!

1998 - Combined 2-ch with Home Theater, briefly used a Rotel pre/pro, then bought the Acurus ACT-3.

2001 - No pre amp for a time; ran my Resolution Audio CD-55 direct to the power amp for critical listening.

2002 - Proceed AVP- a true high end pre/pro at last.

2003 - Upgraded to AVP2 status.
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