Supratek or Don Sachs - which way to go?

I have spent decades as a hardcore audiophile.  Have had at least 15 preamps and that number or more amps ranging from solid state, class D, hybrids, and tubes.   I peruse these threads all of the time which is how I found out about Sachs preamp which I have in my main system.  The reports of the Sonics from the Supratek preamps is also quite impressive.  Sachs and Supratek both sound like they have disruptive products that audiophiles will hear and ask themselves., why should I spend more.  In my exercise room I have the even cheaper Schilling preamp that is quite good.

I often have my equipment modded so the internal layout is important to my modder.  I have no desire to mod the Sachs preamp as it sounds phenomenal.  Since I have the audiophile disease in a bad way, I want to try one of the Supratek preamps and possibly one of the dehavilland preamps just for comparison.  However, I dont give a rat's ass about the internal aesthetics of the gear when considering these purchases.  

I am a sensible audiophile.  This descriptor though is probably an oxymoron lol.  I would hate to be a manufacturer of high end preamps going up against the three (two of which I own) previously mentioned preamps.  Just my two cents from a non-insider...

@jaymark Please do report back if you do try those competitors!  I'd love to hear the report.  I'd also recommend replacing the Miflex capacitors on the primary outputs if you do get the modding itch.  Not sure it it's covered in this thread or another, but I have Duelund tinned copper CASTs and love them.  And few other users have put in VH Audio ODAMs and said similarly superlative things about the change.

@jaymark   How does the Truth preamp compare to the Sachs in your system? Yes, thanks for taking up the cause to do a direct comparison between the Sachs and Supratek!

Hope you understand the limitations of a direct comparison by someone else, unless they talk your audio language (which, speaking generally, is not often the case, at least not without repeated questioning). It’s like comparing the effect of a tube change, something I posted about the other day on a What’s Best Forum in relation to Lampi dac and Supratek Chardonnay. I have no doubt one of the two tubes, the one most transparent, detailed, lively, articulate, etc. would be the favorite of most, "the best," but I preferred the one that is less transparent, etc., because instead of finding myself focused on the first’s wonderful analytics, the second draws me into the music emotionally. Yet, there are a whole lot of people, if not most these days, for whom analytics, "sonic effects," are their emotional draw. So is the person doing the comparison the same or similar to you? It is no different with preamps. In fact, the problem is even more difficult with tube gear, because the comparison may be made on the basis of the provided tubes, which may or may not be of equal cost/sonics and thus the best presentation of the developers’ current ideas about voicing. Some tube rolling might change the comparison dramatically.

I chose the Supratek Chardonnay for a few reasons:
- true balanced outputs at no extra cost vs. faux balanced outputs, meaning impedance issues running to low impedance amps (active speakers), and additional costs for dealing with it (cost for different value caps)
- sound intentionally on the warm side (I don’t see anything about tone/pitch in the Sachs’ write up or in customer comments, or in discussing the sonics of the provided/recommended tubes)
- separate power supply
- lifetime transferable warranty vs. "one full year" (in bold) to the original buyer for the Sachs. Record of units lasting decades.
- a good case made for point to point wiring, however "messy"
- lower upfront cost and possible tube rolling costs not that much

@t_ramey I have no doubt that the Truth can be very good in some systems, but it didn't do much in mine.  I had one for about a month and eventually went back to source-direct since the improvement was small.  When I bought a DS preamp, that was certainly not the case.  Instead I had a substantial improvement in sound across the board and will never go back to source-direct.

As always, these impressions are totally system dependent (mine is posted here).  There are plenty of people who's ears & systems I trust who have thoroughly enjoyed the Truth.