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Seriously considering tube preamp…opinions?

Tube virgin, here. I am building a system and I'm trying to contain the preamp/amp cost to $3k or so. (I could go up a little.) 

I'm inclined not to dive into tubes all the way through, but get a solid state on the output end. (Open to suggestions; inclined toward PS Audio, Parasound.) I'm reading around about tube preamps and have talked with my local dealer, who sells Black Ice/Jolida and Prima Luna (PL). He used to carry Rogue but said they kept coming back for repairs. That's why he carries PL.

I'm asking these questions after having established (via reviews, comments) that Schiit gear is quite the value. Lately, I've been reading about Decware and other small tube makers. I'm very curious about buying direct, if possible, and a company that stands behind their products is crucial.

So, your opinions about tube integrated or *especially* tube preamps —

1. Who do you like? Consider I want to do pre/amp for a total of $3k if possible.

2. Do you think PL is worth all that money just for a preamp? I get the feeling they're high quality but a bit over-hyped. (No disrespect to the highly passionate Kevin Deal, but he's all over my search results.) And what would you think about $2k/$1k preamp-to-amp spending ratio?

3. Any sense of what happened to Jolida since the name change to "Black Ice"? I see there's a sordid story there but did the re-branding clear up the mess? Any experiences with the Black Ice company?

4. I know there are many Schiit fans out there; so my question would be -- did anyone consider Schiit for tube preamp and go another way? Or move beyond Schiit for any particular reason? It's hard not to just capitulate and do a Freya+ or Saga+ but why wouldn't one just go with Schiit?




128x128hilde45
brotw
103 posts
 
LM508ia offers triode sweetness and bass control. Not a pure Line Magnetic fan boy and can think of other more expensive options that might sound better. I'd like to move up to a 6SN7 line stage with KT88 amp from Don Sachs or Aric some day.

Also with a 7.5' ceiling, peaks and nulls will be at ear level. Thinking Moab from Tekton could smooth that out from the excitation side, woofers are top and bottome in the cabinet,  or try and absorb with GIK panels. I do like Salk speakers, just not as tube friendly.
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
5,090 posts
 
Thanks for the extra info decooney.
brotw -- i'll look into tekton, possibly. I'm going to try to really love those salks and match them with the right amp; I'll have about 30 days to get them in front of as much amplification as possible. will probably need to burn them in a bit first.
decooney
2,221 posts
 
@hilde45  
Have you confirmed which of the Salks you are going with (84db or 90db, other)?
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
5,090 posts
 
ss 6m
markusthenaimnut's avatar
markusthenaimnut
375 posts
 
I hope you feel you're still getting value out of this thread. Kinda seems to me that what started out as a pretty straightforward quest - to pick up a wonderful tube preamp - has evolved into a somewhat wide open discussion of many wonderful options in which virtually everything is on the table. Except for (maybe) your chosen Salk WOW1 speakers. But I think I read that you are content with those.

Let me share a couple of thoughts on power amps. First, you don't have to stay with the big (and therefore $$$$) names. I'm sure they are nice amps and sound good. But there are wonderful options out there from lesser known builders, especially on the used market. Note that I've not shopped around for any specific amplifiers, but I'm simply trying to broaden your list of possible candidates that should be available without breaking the bank.

Coda would be on my short list. Complete beasts, capable of powering virtually any speaker into harmonious submission and tranquility while provide superb, performance-transparent-insight into whatever recordings you throw at them. Brought to you by the guys who founded Threshold. Sanders Magtech or Innersound Electrostatic. These amps can take an inefficient speaker and make it sit up and play wonderfully. And they are bulletproof.

One of these amps would allow you to comfortably stay with your less-efficient speakers and return to shopping for a killer tube preamp. And this thread is replete with many well regarded candidates. Don Sachs, Supratech, DeHavilland, Atma-sphere, Quicksilver. These would be on my short list, though there are probably other options out there.
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