2. amps-preamps
  3. 1350594698

What is the single best pre amp you have ever hear

I am not here to sell anything. I am a speaker manufacturer and had the opportunity to show at Capital Audio Fest with David Berning. David is an amazing man whom I respect greatly Even more amazing are his electronics. I heard his ZOTL ZH-30 amplifier and concluded it was the best sounding mid powered amp I have ever heard regardless of price. By best I mean able to play all types of music well. Back to preamps. Some preamps add this or that or sound euphoric or slow the tempo of music. This only shows up as you play other types of music At the show I was totally spoiled by the ZOTL Pre one preamp honesty. I thought it had the best timing and speed of transistor and musicality of tubes of anything I have heard to date. I would have to say it is on my top three list of best sounding preamps regardless of price. It is also the least expensive, nearly half the price of the others. Please before you respond try to have a listen to this extraordinary preamp. Let me know if you agree or disagree Thanks for you opinions Ralph
128x128hi_fi_ralph
erik_squires
16,280 posts
 
Heard? Conrad Johnson Premiere or Sonic Frontiers. I am afraid that was the last time I spent a lot of time really listening to preamps.

I have heard the Ayre and they are pretty excellent, as are the pass labs, but neither had enormous sense of scale in their imaging the best tubes can do.

What I'm very curious about now is PrimaLuna’s and do a little cap swapping. :) Unbeatable price and rather easy to roll coupling caps with.

Best,


Erik
vvvinashhh's avatar
vvvinashhh
24 posts
 
Cary SPL05 . Properly priced,stunning sonics. Even the SPL03 is stunning and can be tube rolled to make it sound just the way you like. I'm tube pre / ss power amp kinda guy.
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Thoress tube preamp is a top choice.
markus1299
252 posts
 
Coincident Statement Preamp with the 102D tubes. 
bugman03
44 posts
 
I used to have a CAT Legend then a friend brought over his Ypsilon and I now own an Ypsilon.  I recently heard an Ypsilon Silver which was better.  Too bad it is out of my price range 70K.
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