2. amps-preamps
  3. 1343407784

World's best Pre-amp for $10K and above?

Looking for the HOLY GRAIL in Audio? Here it is. I'm in my early sixties and retiring to my final system, which I was going to purchase during the past twelve months and decided to put on the brakes, and investigate whats out there as the most advanced engineered high end audio products for the money in the market place. As far as I'm concerned, the two top engineers in the world for the best Amp and Preamp at low prices are Bent Holter with Hegel Audio in Norway and Roger Sanders with Sanders Sound in Colorado. Why? The Hegel P-30 Pre-amp is a game changer, and will easily compete with Pre-amps at $30K and above. The FM Acoustics 268 Preamp that retails for $107K, uses a technology thats called "feedforward" instead of feedback.
Amps and Pre-amps since the early 80's have all used either global feedback, zero feedback or local feedback to filter out noise and lower distortion by sending and filtering the feedback current to filter capacitors or or an extra filter transformer. A small amount of voltage feedback occurs at the output stage in amps and preamps which goes back into the parts and boards causing noise and distortion which smears the quality of the music.The best Preamps in the world all have S/N noise ratios at 125 db's or above. The Hegel P-30 Preamp uses the same feedforward technology as FM Acoustics but is a more current design that Bent Holter calls "Sound Engine" patented technology that eliminates feedback which is why the P-30 Preamp has a S/N ratio of 132 db's, which has never been accomplished in high end audio with a Preamp costing $10K or below. The same applies to Roger Sanders Magtech amplifier which uses a patented linear voltage regulator that controls and regulates voltage with no excess voltage going back into the amp causing heat and distortion problems. The amp puts out 900 watts into 4ohms. Krell makes a pair of mono blocs that also use a similar voltage regulator. The amps are $100K a pair. HERES THE PERFECT SOLID STATE SYSTEM. A Hegel P-30 Preamp. A Sanders Magtech amp, A pair of Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers. The worlds finest SACD player, the Playback Designs MPS-5, designed by Andreas Koch, who invented SACD technology when he worked for Sony. He built the worlds first outboard DAC in 1982 and is legend in digital engineering. The MPS-5 is the most analog sounding player on the market which costs $17K. The Hegel P-30 is only $7500.00 and the Magtech amp is only $5K. The Aerials are $10K. Buy the solid core cables from Morrow Audio. They are low capacitance cables which matches up perfectly with these components. This combination sounds like the very best tube and solid state gear on the market. The whole system will cost about $42K but will sound as good as any system costing $200K. All of these products are game changers. If you want better looking cabinets and faceplates, then blow your money, but you will not get better performance for what this system has to offer. It is the HOLY GRAIL you are searching for and there is no better combination for the total cost of the system.
audiozen
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Larryi, I agree. I have heard the Balabo at shows. It sounded quite good. I now have a Koda K 10. It has a sound characteristic that I find warmer than the best solid state units and more defined and more real than the best tube units. My big problem with it is the gross jumps in its 22 position pot.

In my response to Audiozen, I was merely noting the sharp difference in price of the two linestages. I used to have respect for Valin's judgments in FI, but no longer. Certainly I noted that I said "in my personal experience," Charle1dad. As always I think it is ludicrous to use words to compare sounds and long for the day when a reviewer can merely say, "Listen to this comparison. I found preamp A clearly superior to B; do you?"
ebm
9,311 posts
 
VAC top of the line HELLO!!!!
larryi
4,131 posts
 
TBG,

To me, the ideal review would be one that extensively describes the operational features of the product (particularly any operational quirks or inconveniences) and physical characteristics and largely dispenses with the flowery praise of the sound. Instead, I would like to read about the things that might have bothered the reviewer about the sound. That way, the reader would be made aware of POTENTIAL isses with the product that the shopper might have otherwise overlooked in a quick audition. So much of what becomes an annoyance with a product is somewhat hidden until one has listened to it for quite some time; being able to focus on a potential shortfall early on might help in spotting such problems.

If I were in the market for a new linestage, I would say that this thread IS helpful in that it identified the Koda K 10 as a candidate (I did not even know of the name), as identified by obviously experienced listeners. My issue was with the postings that claimed this choice was ridiculous given that something else received rave reviews and is designed with more advanced technology. There is nothing wrong with liking something else more, I just don't like claims that such judgment is superior to that of someone else based on such specious evidence.
jwm
918 posts
 
Reviewers and peoples opinions are just that. It peaks our curiosity and hopefully leads one to hear the item for themselves, either at a dealer or a trade show. It is ludicrous to say this is the best as the best is what sings in ones own system. I don't think there is one universal best item out there of any kind.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Jwm, reviewers were better when neither Stereophile nor TAS had any advertising and when there were few companies making equipment. Emags and advertising taint the market as does the failure of most dealerships. But we cannot go back. This is why audioexotics and whatsbestforum are so important.
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