2. amps-preamps
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Preamp w/ a budget of $2000

Hi All, 

I'm looking to replace my NAD preamp. It is now the weak link in my system. I would like to keep the budget to 2K or less. Requirements: Pre out or sub out, MM phono section, and a remote.

Associated equipment:
Amps: Anthem MCA 20, Red Dragon M-100 monoblocks
Sources: Bluesound node 2, TV, ProJect Debut Carbon
Speaker(s): I do a lot of switching out- Spatial Audio M3 Turbo S, Gallo 3.1 reference, MMGs, Green Mountain Audio Continuum I, DIY Nola Brio Trio Clones
Subs: Paradigm Monitor Sub 12" x2, REL T-7 x 2
Cables: Anticable IC's throughout, Anticable Speaker wire, Audio Magic Speaker cable

I am a detail freak and tend to like my sound towards the more clinical side of things. Of course imaging, soundstage depth/width, and image focus are important. I listen to a lot of Jazz and recently a fair bit of electronic as well. 

Any and all advice or direction would be appreciated. 

Best- Ben
128x128birdfan
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I am a little confused about all of these recommendations for CJ preamps.
I have owned a couple of older ones, and I would not define the sound as "clinical" at all. More like warm and musical, the opposite of what the OP is looking for.

So either the newer CJ preamps have changed their sound 180 degrees, or folks are simply recommending their favorite $2K preamp, regardless of what the OP is looking for:

I am a detail freak and tend to like my sound towards the more clinical side of things.


kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 

"folks are simply recommending their favorite $2K preamp, regardless of what the OP is looking for"

This   ^^^^

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Agree,
I had noted this in an earlier post that the OP "clearly " expressed a desire for a "clinical " character. John and  Kalali are  right in that some people seem to be recommending what they like rather than what was originally requested. Or could be that they believe that the CJ has this clinical presentation.
Charles
jl35
4,025 posts
 
He also asked for a phono section, remote and pre out ...
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 
jl35, soliciting recommendations for picking a preamp in particular is always a tricky proposition since it interacts with the source on one end and the power amplifier on the other end. This is even with discounting all the cabling in between. I can share my experience since I not only have the same preamp but also have the same source - Bluesound Node2. In my set up I have one of the pre-outs from the preamp feeding a Vincent SP-331 amplifier and the other pre-out pair feeding a pair of McIntosh MC2200. The speakers pairs - completely different brands, are in two adjacent rooms, family room and a sort of formal living room. If I were to characterize the differences in sound quality between the two rooms, I’d say the sound from the room using the Vincent is more analytical and has slightly more detail than the room fed by the McIntosh amps. Even with switching the speaker connections from one room to the other, which I do occasionally just for variety, the character of the sound stays generally the same. I don’t know your amps but at the risk of generalization, most class D amps tend to benefit from a tube front end to sort of smooth the edges. The friend that I borrowed the CJ from has a pair of class D amps that he assembled himself - I think they Hypex Ncore, and the CJ preamp sounds a whole lot better in his system than it did in mine. Hope this helped.
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