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Replacing my MFA Luminescence B2 preamp

I have in the past year returned to high end audio after a ten year lapse. I just got my JC Verdier La Platine TT out, purchased a brand new ZYX Ultimate 100 mounted on a 25 year old SME V. The only other source equipment is a Wadia 16 of 1990’s (?) vintage. Amplification is through Von Gaylord / Legend Audio mono block amp.  I dug out an old pair of Morel MLP 202 bookshelf speaker. And I started playing music through my thirty year old MFA Luminescence preamp.  ( I know, It’s an eclectic mix ! )

My question has to do with the preamp. It’s a vintage piece of gear, apparently still sought after.  But I am decidedly not technically oriented. Every so often, it requires maintenance. As I write this, it is sitting in a shop, because the phono section works only in one channel. MFA Luminescence is brilliant in action, but it’s the down time that has me thinking I should move to a simpler setup. I wonder if moving to a Coincident Phono preamp might not be the answer? It fits my set up of  only two source equipments. Would it be a step down? Any other options?

please help!
ledoux1238
ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 
Within the span of two posts, we have responses from a past owner of the MC Reference and a present day owner of a Venusian!!! Very impressive.

One of the corollary of what teo_audio982 is suggesting is that certain vintage gears, by virtue of their longevity, represent well established  sets of values in music reproduction that tends to endear themselves to music lovers, rather than the flavor of the month crowd. They illicit emotions of joy and contentment , rather than doubt or  confusion. 

I like that very much. 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,620 posts
 
My initial query was how it would fair compared to a well regard percent day Coincident phono amp, which retails around $ 6,000.

Finally, if we are talking about reference level full function preamps nowadays, then it  would be, at least, in the $15,000 level, no? Prices have really gotten out of control even since the 2000’s.  It would be silly to expect greatest from a Lumi  against these, right?

@ledoux1238  No. You would have to audition to really see. There are plenty of preamps with which the Luminescence will have no troubles keeping up if it is in good condition. Preamp circuits have not changed that much over the last 60 years with only a few exceptions. 


ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 
@atmasphere Thanks for the last bit of advice. When time allows, I will be doing some comparisons with newer preamps.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,620 posts
 
@ledoux1238 OK- keep in mind the comparisons won't be fair if your preamp doesn't have the benefit of a properly running power supply.
opus111
58 posts
 
I think part of the fascination with the Lumi comes from the fact that it uses lots of octal tubes (5692 and 5691) and because of that people tend to think it must sound big and bold (whatever that means), which is not the case with this preamp.  

Even in its day, it was sonically outclassed by the like or Mark Levinson ML-7A (which continues to sound great even compared to the latest ML preamps), ARC SP-10 MK2, CJ Premier 7, Jadis, JP-80, etc.  

That said, to me the MFA MC Reference is the greatest full function preamp ever made.  It used a combination of 6922s and 12AX7s with a GZ37 rectifier tube in the power supply. There were only a dozen or so sold before the company folded so it's as rare as a hen's teeth.  I've seen a couple of dubious looking prototypes being sold as a MC Reference but they had octal tubes like the Lumi and can't imagine them sounding anything close to what the real production version MCR does.
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