Charles1dad,
Yes, I have owned the original Dude and now the latest. Mine is also custom in that it has 2 - 6sn7's per side instead of one per side and extra capacitance. Mine also has a set of $400 Duelund Alexander coupling caps ( I put them in). Both the original Dude and my new Dude sound top notch and share the same circuit. The newer Dudes have a better Shallco volume control and wonderful fit & finish. Both sound very much the same. I say mine has even more Dudeness if you will. Improved transparency and detail are perhaps the most obvious improvement. I trust this is due to the improved 45 step Shallco and my Duelund caps.
I live in Southern, MN and if we could somehow get both pre's in the same system, I would be willing to take reasonable steps to make it happen.
What I think the Dude does that I have not heard in another preamp, is play with incredible dynamics, scale and aliveness with complete and utter ease.
Yes, I have owned the original Dude and now the latest. Mine is also custom in that it has 2 - 6sn7's per side instead of one per side and extra capacitance. Mine also has a set of $400 Duelund Alexander coupling caps ( I put them in). Both the original Dude and my new Dude sound top notch and share the same circuit. The newer Dudes have a better Shallco volume control and wonderful fit & finish. Both sound very much the same. I say mine has even more Dudeness if you will. Improved transparency and detail are perhaps the most obvious improvement. I trust this is due to the improved 45 step Shallco and my Duelund caps.
I live in Southern, MN and if we could somehow get both pre's in the same system, I would be willing to take reasonable steps to make it happen.
What I think the Dude does that I have not heard in another preamp, is play with incredible dynamics, scale and aliveness with complete and utter ease.