Preamps with Dual XLR Outputs

@willgolf I am working with a dealer on the Makua so I plan on getting it from him if I go that way, not at MRSP as I listed but something with a discount. There is a unit available today on A’gon from Australia for $10K but I started with the dealer so I will continue to do so.

Did you use the Lumin A1 as the DAC with the Makua?

Are you using the Lumin X1 directly to an amp? I do not mind doing that myself and buying a $2.5K Benchmark preamp for my analog sources. That is if the direct to amp Lumin X1 is not compromised, especially at low volumes.

I should add that I am really interested in doing my streaming from a fibre optical network such as supported in the Lumin X1. It would only cost me about $300 to buy the network gear to do this. I also have a lifetime subscription to ROON so I will stick with that. Roon is actually becoming pretty amazing with the latest release.

Ear-Yoshino 868 (reviewed in Positive Feedback and Enjoy The Music) and 912 (review by Art Dudley in Stereophile).

Missed this post. Thanks, will look into it.

The Bryston BP-17^3 (Cubed) also has two sets of balanced XLR outputs. As well as two sets of inputs to match.

The EAR pre-amps are unaffected by the input impedances of power amps, as their balanced/XLR outputs are transformer-coupled. Tim deParavicini is known for the quality of his transformers.

I just spent some time reading the reviews of the W4S preamp. They make it seem like a slightly noisier version of the Benchmark LA4, but with the specs I am looking for with dual output XLR. Both peamps are being described as "straight wire with gain".

When I first saw photos of W4S a long time ago I had the impression it could not be the ultimate in sound quality. Then a few years ago I heard W4S demo their then new mono blocks with a full W4S stack and KEF Reference 1 speakers. I was really impressed by the sound and how much I was into the music. They were playing some Pink Floyd in a nice hotel room. The sound of their gear was was completely deceiving to me given my impression of the looks (though looks do not matter if the sound is excellent).

The W4S 10 year anniversary DAC should also be something I should consider if I persue the W4S preamp. The ESS Sabre DAC’s maybe a good choice with the softer sounding Yamaha NS 5000 over the Denafrips (Lumin X1 is also Sabre).

I am really excited about the pre-amps listed in this thread. It is only recently that I came to understand what those dual XLR outputs can do. It took me about a year of figuring things out to get me to this point. I am lucky I was broke last year and could not afford to prematurely buy the wrong gear.

I should add that I am looking for the XLR outputs of the preamp to support the Balanced XLR AES48 standard. I have confirmed with Benchmark and Mola Mola that their units do support it. This is important to me because I plan on putting everything, except the amps, far away from the speakers. I may need something like 25 feet of XLR to reach the amps. I do not indent to spend a lot of $$ on the XLR’s if the AES48 standard is supported.

Now off to read about the other preamps listed above.