2. amps-preamps
  3. 147730-29485

I need your suggestion for a Preamp.

I would like to get a preamp, and I have an opp to get an Ayre K5XE MP, Jeff Rowland Capri or a Mark Levinson 380S.

The power amp is a Levinson 431, driving a pair of B&W Matrix 801 S3. I am using a Levinson 390S CD processor to drive 431, the sound is not too bad, but I need a couple of more inputs as I intend to use a TT and add a blu ray player as well.

The Levinson 380s is much more money, out of the all three.

Looking forward to some experts advises and suggestions/recommendation.

Cheers 
audiomaster
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,541 posts
 
For what it is worth, you have a Levinson system. I would just stick with Levinson. You are not going to get audibly better performance unless you jump to something like the Trinnov Amethyst which would increase the adjustability of your system 2 orders of magnitude, give you room control and the best subwoofer crossover.
bigkidz
3,376 posts
 

I am in agreement to stay with the Levinson if you like the sound you are getting.  If all of them are SS then the sound may vary but IMO not significant enough.  Others are recommending tube preamps which will have probably have more impact on the sound which could be more decay to notes, more of a 3D soundstage image, you know what tube do.  I don't think you can go wrong with any of the recommendations unless you change to a completely different designed preamp like a DHT or something like that.


Happy Listening.

lukaske
307 posts
 
Please,take a tube préamp. Levinson en B&W are to “hard” and not directly to the point. You lack depth, holographic, and natural sound. A tube préamp: Audio Note, Ear,VAC , Shindo, even Audio research, can improve that. (. Is mine opinion)
audiomaster OP
24 posts
 
HI lukaske,

 I did have tube preamp, Aesthetix Calypso, it was ok, lacked musicality. 
I sold it. Tube based equipments don’t do for me. I had a Sonic Frontiers SFCD 1, a tube based CD player, it would put me to I sleep. Same with SF DAC, nothing exciting there either.
lukaske
307 posts
 
Hi audiomaster,
thanks for your reaction: had you ever thought about taking other speakers? I think in your system, you miss “the soul” of your music. When listening, you must be “one” with the music. B&W don’t give that.
As cd,i have the luxman D-06, very natural , holographic,and to the point. Or try Ayre ,Nagra ( preamps)...but for me: No B&W speakers: much better is Monitor Audio PL 300 (500). Have you already taken measurements in your listening room?  How is your listening position?  Best sitting in a “triangel”: 2,70(2.80)m. Between the 2 speakers, en each speaker the same distance with your listening position. Speakers turned 7-9 degrees towards you. Try it.
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