2. amps-preamps
  3. 127698-92011

Alternative of the pre/power amps

I am looking for the set which provide myself with natural reproduction. I prefer to have something made from the beginning from 80th to beginning of 90th. Preamp should has many balanced XLR inputs. I prefer to have separate channels even in preamplifier. As a source I have 1) Resolution Audio Cesium transport + 2 Quantums DACs (very rare DACs that can be used as one chanel DAC), 2) Garrard 301 table with different arms (Stax, Grace, SAEC). The speakers I used are Mirage M1 bi-wiring version, but I planning to change them for the speakers with high sencitivity (like JBL 4333 or even 4350).

The alternatives.

1) Jeff Rowland Model 7 + Jeff Rowland Consummate. What embarrassing myself that this monos as long as this pre- are Class AB units....

2) Threshold SA/1 + ?. This variant is less expensive but old and not powerful. What preamp can be used here?

3) Mark Levinson ML2 + ???. ML2 is also not expensive, old, not powerful and another problem is the preamps (ML1, 6, 7) that matches ML2 have no XLRs! But ML6 is a true 2 mono unit!

4) Mark Levinson 20.5 + ML 26. Here is almost perfect except ML 26 has only one XLR input and this combination not cheap as Jeffs one.

5) Krell KRS 200+ ?. I guess KRS 200 is the best among everything listed above, but it is more expensive then Model 7 and 20.5 and huge as Model 7. Also I do not know which preamp can I pick for it. KRS 1 or 2 have no XLRs....

Thanks all. Happy New Year!
tonlab
mattmiller's avatar
mattmiller
1,497 posts
 
Tonlab ,If you keep your M1's then all of these combos you mention are very good indeed (i like the Krell least of the above they run Hottt). I however would also include a pair of McIntosh mono blocks MC500w or MC1200w or the MC600w stereo amp with a McIntosh C2200, or C2500 tube pre amp, with the M1's you will be blown away and not even think about getting rid of them! 

P.S. Many XLR's too!!

Matt M
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
Ayre?

ARC?
tonlab OP
4 posts
 
Tonlab ,If you keep your M1's then all of these combos you mention are very good indeed (i like the Krell least of the above they run Hottt). I however would also include a pair of McIntosh mono blocks MC500w or MC1200w or the MC600w stereo amp with a McIntosh C2200, or C2500 tube pre amp, with the M1's you will be blown away and not even think about getting rid of them!

P.S. Many XLR's too!!

Matt M
Thank you for response, Matt.

Actually I am not sure that I will keep M1, this are good speakers, but I think too fluent. JBL are more classic and serious, but this even easier situation: all of this pre/amps will be better work with JBL.
As for McIntosh. I gusee you ment MC501 monos and 1201monos? This monos as long as C2200 and C2500 preamps are made after 2000 year, what I personally do not like... Maybe it is a mistake, but I had 225 amp, which was very very good, but that one had no XLRs and needed to be restored, so I sold it...
More to discover