2. amps-preamps
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Opinions on Quicksilver Valve Linestage Preamp

Anyone with first hand experience with is tube preamp? Considering this preamp as a possible upgrade from my NAD C165BEE but I’d like to be sure that it’ll be a real upgrade. I honestly think the NAD piece sounds quite decent but hear too much about how a tube preamp will add to the musicality, etc. FWIW, they are both priced at $1K mark. It’ll be feeding my hybrid Vincent SP331 amp and the specs suggest they should be a good match.

Edited to add one more option in that general price range: Sonic Frontiers Pre 1L Tube Preamp .

Thanks.
128x128kalali
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,556 posts
 
@kalali
I own the the Quicksilver and I like it . The only warning is that it’s very basic. No mono or balance controls,so if you need these features you should look at something else. If you don’t need those features then it is a true bargain! BTW,all my gear is QS and I've never had any problem,the stuff is built to last.
bojack
636 posts
 
Love love my QS 6922-based line stage and listen to it multiple hours a day 365 a year w/o issues. I've also owned the 165BEE (nice piece as well), and I think the QS is the better of the two. 
kalali's avatar
kalali OP
1,977 posts
 
Thanks for the input. Both of these components are very reasonably priced in the used market and seem like great opportunities to jump in to explore a tube preamplifier in the system. QS tube amplifiers certainly have a great reputation.
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