New tube preamp

Scot, I would also highly recommend looking at the deHavilland Ultraverve preamp.  I am currently using a Tung Sol round plate 6sn7GT.  The sound is very nice...detailed and deep with great bass.  I also recently had Kara Chaffee (the designer of the Utraverve) install Dueland capacitors and I am very pleased with the sonic results.  Other 6sn7's that I like are: Raytheon GT 231, Sylvania W's, Ken Rad GT's, or any military 5192's. I am running a Bluesound 2i streamer into a Chord DAC and then through my Ultraverve...which serves my Bryston 14BSST into B&W 802's. For my ears I think the Utraverve is a great bargain.  regards, Jim

Consider the DeHavilland Ultraverve; another 6sn7 based pre.

I would also add Decware to your list. All tube design, pt to pt wiring. I own their amps, but not their preamp. 

For the gentleman who said “sounds like stock tubes to me” I am using some Nos Telefunken 12au7’s from the early 1960’s that transformed the preamp and made a huge improvement. I fully realize the benefits of good, nos vintage tubes from the 40’s, 50’s & 60’s and maybe even the 70’s. What concerns me about the Supratek preamps is the return policy. I’ve read Suprateks return policy and understand it’s a 3 day return and the customer pays the return shipping ($200.00 in my case) and you get your money back only after he sells it. I doubt if he sends you a fully broken in preamp which makes the 3 day return policy basically worthless. I don’t doubt you’ll eventually get your money back, everything I’ve read about Mick says he’s a very reliable and trustworthy person, it’s the amount of time you may have to wait that is a little concerning. It may take a week or two, it may take a month or two. Compare that to the linear Tube Audio’s return policy, first of all they fully break in all their products before they ship them, they give you a 14 day, no questions asked and they even pay the return shipping. What more could you ask for? The biggest and most important question though isn’t about a return policy, it’s about sound quality in your system and synergy with one’s equipment. Not an easy decision.

scot

Tomlhuffman,

I agree with our opinion of the Parasound Jc2. I found it to be very over rated. Frankly, it bored me to tears. 

Tweak1,

When you you refer to the Machine Dynamica super stiff springs, I’m not familiar but I’m guessing that they are some kind of isolation device/footer than goes under the preamp. I tried the Critical Mass Systems Center Stage series 2 feet under the BHK Signature preamp (they recommend 4 not 3) and couldn’t believe the improvement they made. It’s a very strange product. You place them under the component like any other foot but the sound quality gets WORSE, they even warn you about this in the instructions. Be patient though, after they have “settled in” which takes anywhere from 5 to 14 days you will simply not believe your ears. Everything gets better! The improvement is not subtle. It sucks because they are stupid expensive but once you’ve heard them there’s no going back, you’ll want to put them under every component. 

Scot