2. amps-preamps
  3. 123612-9095

Preamp... Solid State or Tube

I am looking for 2-ch preamp that must have HT bypass option to mate with my existing HT processor.  

My budget is 10K for this upgrade.  Couple of preamps comes to mind but I have no experience with these components.  

Ayre KX-5 Twenty
Aesthetix Calypso 
 
My system consist of following components, 

Speakers - B&W 800D2
Source - Aurender N10,  Modwright Elyse DAC, Raysonic CD-128
Amps - Modwright KWA150SE (Pair of them being used in bridge mode)
Processor - Krell 707
Cables - Verastarr Grand Illusion Statement and Signature series

Any recommendations will be highly appreciated. 

128x128lalitk
lalitk's avatar
lalitk OP
5,375 posts
 
@adg101,  can you elaborate on your experience with DiD's?  I have been on fence to try isolation devices with my DAC or CD player.  All of my equipment are housed in a customized component rack that is preloaded with damping materials to create a high mass, low resonance core. 

http://coreaudiodesigns.com/products/component-racks/

Back to preamp, I am looking for fully balanced circuitry from input to output. Both LS-100 and 36.5 are nice preamps but they are single ended design.  

Until Dan comes out with a fully balanced Linestage, I would like to explore what else is out there. 

I can see why it would make sense to go with MW linestage since I already own MW's amp and DAC. IMO, balanced circuitry yields much better overall sound. 

Thank you all for your feedback. 
lalitk's avatar
lalitk OP
5,375 posts
 
@jmcgrogan2,  I never heard of VAC until now.  And I am quite intrigued by their Statement Line Preamplifier.  Too bad, I can't afford it :-)



ebm
9,311 posts
 
Tube preamp solid state amp best sounding combo.
lalitk's avatar
lalitk OP
5,375 posts
 
@ebm, I concur with your assessment of tube preamp/SS amps. However, I am skeptical about mating a tube output DAC and CD player with a tube preamp.  

Pardon my limited experience with tube gear, I Don't wanna get stuck in the vicious circle of tube matching between components. 



srosenberg's avatar
srosenberg
209 posts
 

@lalitk - are you running very long IC's?

if fully balanced is a must, perhaps take a look at Atma-Sphere.  no HT bypass, but that's easy enough to work around... just run the main outs from your Krell processor to any analog input on the preamp and set the preamp to the same level (12:00, 3:00, unity, etc) when using the processor.  HT bypass is nothing more than a means to bypass the volume control in the preamp, effectively passing the signal with no attenuation.

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