What's after Supratek


Well, I've got a nice chunk of change saved for an upgrade to my rig. I'm wondering what it'd take to knock my Supratek Syrah (with all NOS tubes) off it's perch.

I need a remote. Would prefer an integrated MC phono stage, but would consider a separate line/phono if the price wasn't too much out of my league.

Budget is $5000 used. I'm leaning towards a VAC Renaissance (not the sig. version), but is this just a sideways move?
128x128dennis_the_menace
Tbg
Don't start wth me. It's a shame this thread has been hijacked away from it's original theme in an apparent attempt to start yet again another H-Cat versus Supratek skirmish. Tbg,something you might want to remember is that unlike yourself,and,I wager,virtually everyone reading the H-Cat/Supratek threads,I actually own both a Syrah,and an H-Cat. No "I heard the latest version at a friends",no "I listened to a few cuts",none of that crap. I HAVE BOTH,HERE AND NOW!!! Your words which I added to and paraphrased,were from a thread which was deleted by the moderators. You,and I,know what you said. "Listen to an H-Cat,and you'll wonder how they can ever sell Suprateks". Not a Syrah,the lowest model,but "Suprateks". Inflammatory at best. Perhaps your goal? You perhaps can't stand the success of an "inferior" product? Can't stand the fact that Bwhite and Fiddler have the nerve to question you? You have done an excellent job of advertising an excellent line of products,let people listen and make up their own minds. If it's to be,it will be. What people need to hear is how you maximized your set up to get the most out of the H-Cat,not petty arguing. What does it prove in the end?
Kirby
Kirby, I apologize for my unfortunate statement, which I only vaguely recall. I guess that this opinion is one I hold but not one that I would normally express. I really am not out to sell the H-Cat but rather to get people to listen to it and make their own judgments.

My experience with the Syrah is dated as I am sure I said and apparently there have been major improvements.

I don't think this is the thread for me to discuss how I optimized the H-Cat, but I will take your advice on that thread. There are expensive isolation and ac filtering improvements which do make it sparkle.

In my defense, I did not start the comparison between the H-Cat and the Supratek. I suspect you would agree that listening to one cut is insufficient to dismiss one unit.
Norm, no one has a vendetta against you. Why are you so paranoid? And this has nothing to do with the fact that I own a Supratek. My beef is you saleshacking the Exemplar and H-Cat anytime anyone mentions another preamp. We all know that you think the Exemplar and H-Cat products are world-class. Just give it a rest.

I have received emails from four different individuals on the 'Gon and AA (who have thousands of posts between them) that gave me big high-fives for someone finally addressing your saleshacking. The problem isn't your choice of components; it’s your constant attempt to ram them down everyone else's throat. It's just old.

And Joperfi, no one has it out for Norm. Many here are just tired of the same old antics about Exemplar and H-Cat, over and over (roll eyes). Especially quotes like, "I am firmly of the opinion that the H-Cat line stage is unrivaled".

That's Norm's opinion and he's entitled to it. But that leaves out the likes of CAT, Lamm, ARC, VTL, the highest-end Suprateks, and the Blowtorch, etc., etc., etc. It’s a stretch to think that the H-Cat is better than all of these preamps. And funny that it's so good, but it can't seem to get any traction in the marketplace.

Contrast that with some other components manufactured by single individuals: the H2O amps, Suprateks, the Berning ZH270, the APL 2910, etc. all sold by word-of-mouth. Interestingly, there is a long wait for any of these products, but I haven't heard anything about a long queue for the H-Cat.

I must admit that I was tempted to order an H-Cat at one time to see if it lived up to the hype that Norm has been espousing. But after receiving emails from some good ears who have heard the H-Cat and after seeing some luke-warm remarks (I'm being polite) about it here, I decided not to invest the time. As I said, something just doesn't make sense here.

Norm, I remember when others here gave "Warrenh" a ration of crap for constantly posting about the Caravelles anytime a speaker thread started. He got the message and he has greatly moderated his posts and exuberance about his speakers (Caravelles).

How bout you?

ttti
Has anyone compared the Supratek preamps with some of the many models created by Emmanuel Go at First Sound?
Your friendly neighbourhood Troll