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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
 
@atmasphere Thanks for the last bit of advice. When time allows, I will be doing some comparisons with newer preamps.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,616 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.
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
Well, that's just like...your opinion, man.
ledoux1238 OP
276 posts
 
I just read up on  AR SP10, SP11, ML-7a, and CJ Premier 7 through a series of Stereophile reviews. All reference level preamps from mid-80’s to early 90’s vintages. 

 If @jafox ‘barely preferred’ the AR SP 10 over the Lumi, then it should belong to an same elite group.  Lumi being ‘outclassed’ by the above preamps, may be an over-statement by @opus111 ? Although I have read/heard from several sources that  the Jadis JP-80 was a  class above the rest.
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