Best 6NS7 Preamp for a Pass Labs XA25 amp

Don Sachs custom pre.  A stunning 3D, holographic unit with the right speakers.  Uses those killer Miflex caps and the new WE Plus series Shuguang 6sn7's.  In the past I wouldn't have given you a nickel for a chinese tube, but this new Dawning series is a concerted effort by the top chinese techs to build the best current production tubes.  I've had mine for a couple months now and I just live it with Spatial Audio OB speakers.  The music just surrounds you.  That suggestion of the lightly used one from someone above is a great suggestion.

@gkr7007 Just a tip that you may consider trying some alternative caps on your secondary output.  I've got Duelund tinned copper CAST and love them, but have also tried Mundorf and gotten a significant leap up in 3-dimensionality over the Miflex's.  Another member (@wig) replaced his with V-CAP Odams and absolutely loved the change.  I also love my DS pre, and did so both before cap changes and after...

I’m wondering if anyone here remembers Aric Audio selling on ebay more than a couple years back? Let me rephrase a bit. I think it was Aric Audio from what I recall. Now, Im not at all taking issue with his product. There are people here who have positive impressions and that certainly counts for something.

First, I’m just trying to ascertain whether that Aric Audio from ebay is one and the same builder as current product. Aric Audio--(if I am recalling the correct name) back then sold very small 1 or 2 tube units that I cant even quite remember what they were. Possibly phono stage or buffer or something of that nature. If it is the same person he has come quite a long way from what he was building about 10 yrs ago. These were small DIY units --maybe only 8x6 inches. Don’t recall anything else about the units and not on ebay these days.


I have had a Modwright LS100 in here and it represented very much the 6sn7 sound and on some level surprised myself by selling it. My complaint is the huge chassis which would need the feet moved inward in order to fit on my standard size rack shelf.  Moving the feet not a biggie so not sure that was really much of an issue.   Not particularly happy with the remote volume control. Could not get the incremental decrease on volume that I preferred . In all fairness could also have been an issue with the motor as an Alps Blue would perform better I think.  The way to go would be with a Khozmo .

Could not ask for better volume control than what I am getting on my SF Line1 with .5db increments . And its full featured remote of which is not offered generally in the 2-3k price range for many of the pre’s mentioned here. But,, while the line1 is a full featured robustly built preamp that sounds good and these days would cost 5-7k it just doesnt quite have that tube flavor. Not that its disagreeable or missing something. I have had 2 of them It is a hybrid design with tube input and s/s output from what I have gathered.

Im thinking of going for the LS100 again with a phono stage and selling my Hagerman Coronet to downsize system a bit. And then of course I would let go of the Line1.

I think Supratek is well worth checking out as well. Another one though that I have not seen with more than a remote volume control. So options would likely take it up to 3k or so. And, what about service should it be needed? Ship to the AU? The Cary as well --watching out for that one.

Schiit Freya +...I understand it's too inexpensive for many to take seriously but that's a mistake. 6SN7GTB-centric extremely well designed preamps, and supposedly an improvement of my original version that performs magnificently. Nothing like 'em.

@skiroe  Greetings! I was notified that my name had popped up and wanted to chime in briefly. Yes, I am the same Aric Audio that was selling tube buffers on eBay a little over ten years ago. I was a solid state guy back then and used very low efficiency DIY speakers. Believe it or not, I used to use QSC pro sound amplification upwards of 500 watts per channel in my rig and hence my first tube buffer stage was just what the system needed to add a "touch of soul" to the music. Amazingly now I find that 20 "well done" watts, with the right speakers is a much more satisfying combo (IMHO). Prior to and during that time, I worked in commercial AV installation in government facilities as a subcontractor for one of the largest AV firms in Boston, MA. Essentially I've been involved in absolutely anything and everything audio related since I was about 7 years old. Once my daughter became an adult and moved out on her own I moved away from the field work and decided to focus exclusively on learning, tweaking and building tube gear. Now close to 50 I love what I do, and  I do it everyday. Keeping in contact with clients and hearing their impressions of the gear I build is the icing on the cake. I'm not sure if there was another question, but I wanted to address that it is one and the same Aric Audio. Best regards, Aric