2. amps-preamps
  3. 1424229756

Help Me Choose a Preamp

Looking for a two channel preamp to mate up with my Muse 175 monoblocks (driving Martin Logan SL3s, about to be replaced with PSB Synchrony 1s), which I believe has an input impedance of 51K. Lack of a phono stage is not a deal breaker, and remote volume & a home theater processor bypass would be nice, but neither is a must. Knowing that I can't have it all, I value a transparent 3D midrange and big soundstage over great top and bottom extension.

My budget is around $700. so I'm thinking an Adcom GFP-750 or ARC LS3 might be ideal. I do like the idea of tubes, but I've been away from the hobby for twenty years, so I don't really know what is good in that range.

Thanks for any guidance.

Bobby
countrysquire
abrew19
146 posts
 
I have a "value champ" in the Forte F44 that I've owned for a long time. Quite nice sounding, and well under your budget, if you can find one. If not, how about one of the Paramount Halo preamps? The Adcom 750 is supposed to be a great value, true, but check out the remote volume control, as there are some reports about issues. No personal experience, so maybe there's nothing to that.
robsker
132 posts
 
given your budget, I would look at used Audio by Van Alstine or Rogue, or even Vincent (or many other) tube preamps before I went with an Adcom. Because sound stage is more valued by you then extension at the frequency extremes, a tube pre seems more in keeping with what you want. Not sure what is out there new for $700 in a tubed preamp --- but with some patience, a used Agon tube preamp that would be 1.5K -2K new can be had used for $700. I would go that route.
rockadanny
1,225 posts
 
Mapletree Audio makes terrific preamps for very reasonable cost.

http://mapletreeaudio.com/
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