What can you tell me about First Sound pre-amps?

The only reason I'd look for an alternative, really, is to have a remote and to have more granularity in the volume adjustment. Oh, a mono switch would be nice I suppose. Better sound is difficult for me to imagine, but that would be a factor, too.

Mphnkns, those are fine posts you made. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and your response to my question.

Any of you FS owners in the SF Bay Area?

TVAD - I ended up not getting that 4-box unit, mostly because the seller found out it did not have the upgrades (Vishay stepped attenuator, paramount upgrade) he though it had, so he's gonna keep it and upgrade it for himself.

As for those other thoughful impressions of the FS, I would add that MY Presence Deluxe MK II (fed with electraglide, cabled with Stereovox, amplified by berning, into Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage's, with 1960's Pinched waist Amperex 6922's) is as smooth as silk, no glare or hardness I can perceive - none at all, and the emotional content of music is "there" in spades.....

i think he means he wants grains (like salt) rolling off the knob onto his carpet when he turns the volume knob....