2. amps-preamps
  3. 136406-96791

Preamp Suggestions for hot-rodded Odyssey Khartago?

I am basically ruling out the Candela due to wanting to hear it before the end of the world and though for a while I was dead set on it, I kept watching for anything interesting used that would match well. I would like to go tube to get at least some of the tube staging.

Max budget is $2k but would rather stay under $1500.

Musical taste is mostly reggae, punk, 80's and 90's alt, grunge, etc with a smattering of hip hop, jazz, electronic, musique concrete and metal.

For overall sound I'd like something that would augment Odyssey's already fast and dynamic sound with good bass.

Thanks
gochurchgo
bondmanp
1,820 posts
 
@gochurchgo - I do listen to Jazz, and classical, and thrash metal, and punk and lots of 80s rock...etc.  I would not have been happy if the C-J was incapable of doing rock well.  I think the C-J preamps that were older, like the PV-5, had the softer sound you were referring to.  That said, the C-J would probably not be described as ruthlessly revealing, either.
gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@bondmanp Thanks, thats good perspective! I am not after ultimate fidelity (HERESEY!) but rather a nice sound. I have tons of badly recorded + mediocrely pressed reggae albums, I don't want to render them unlistenable. I like detail and dynamics and speed but will give up some resolution for warmth and a "safer" sound to help those bad records out a touch.

I'll take a look at the PV11
italian
126 posts
 
For several years I have been enjoying a Odyssey Candela with my Stratos. To be very balanced pre, I had a CJ PV12 prioe to that. Beautiful sound, warm and lush, but in the end that ended up being the problem. I believe Klaus is using a Candela in his demo rooms.
gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@italian yeah, more and more I feel like Candela is the way to go. I guess I should learn to be more patient and follow my original plan.

thats not to say other pre’s won’t work but I don’t want to play musical preamps until I find one that works.
bondmanp
1,820 posts
 
@gochurchgo - I would think the Candela would work.  Just be aware that it has no balance control.  Part of enjoying poorer quality recordings, many of which have soundstages that skew to one side or the other (even varying within the same album!), is being able to adjust the L-R balance.  The CJ-PV11 offers a little bit of balance control, the Candela offers none.
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