Supratek or Don Sachs - which way to go?

Thanks OZ-- I'm thinking of trying something diff than the Audio Research Ref 6 I have. I tried a new Luxman 590ax2 and liked it for its class A amps. Its in place now. Someone mentioned that the Sachs or Supra was like a combo of the sound of the Lux and Ref 6 (from the preamp section that is)  Thoughts?

The only ARC preamps I’ve owned were an LS3 in the 90s and a Great Northern Sound modified SP9 II about 10 years ago. So I have no experience with the Reference series. That said, at least as it sits right now, the Sachs is pretty neutral but very engaging. You wouldn’t mistake it for a Cary or early CJ and I mean that as a compliment to the Sachs. It has just enough tube bloom as to not be dry, but still very transparent.

Oz

Thanks OZ-- does it have some weight to it? Mid-low bass? I'll pair it up to ARC d400mk2 or d240mk2 solid states or a Carver 275 tube amp. I dumped the 10k ARC Vt80 tube amp due to the Carver besting it in my system. Thanks again

Regarding the question of the shoot-out - sorry, I hadn't noticed the question until this evening. Everything has been all shut down to hell, hasn't it, with this Covid stuff. Including the shootout. 

I'll follow up with the fellow who has the Sachs and see if we can't schedule something when the lockdown is lifted. He was travelling a lot last year. Maybe this year will be different.

Here's what I can say, after owning the Supratek for nearly a year. I think either one is going to provide superb satisfaction. I went with the Supratek partly because I wanted the preamp to include a phono stage. I think Don Sachs sells his phono stage as a standalone. The Supratek includes one. I went with the Cortese model because I wanted the LCR phono stage. 

Below ~$3000 I think the two preamps are probably pretty close. Owners of either one have a strange tendency to fall in love with whichever one they have. And become fanatical cheerleaders for their brand. Can that be a bad thing? I think you'd love either one. 

Best regards and good luck with your journey. Let us know what you decide.

Oh, one other thing. I don't know that the Supratek has "bloom". To me it just sounds like the glass has been taken out of the window between me and the music. It seems, on the one hand, completely accurate and neutral and, on the other hand, incredibly rich and beautiful with saturated tonal colors and nuance.

I love equipment that is made by hard-core fanatics.

@wjt3 If you go back in the thread, you’ll find the reasons I went with the Supratek Chardonnay over Sachs. Now that I know what Mick does, I might have gone with 6SN7 Cabernet, though Mick says the DHT 300B has more "bloom." I’ve found some tube rolling is getting a bit more of what I want out of the Chardonnay, not that it was anything but good to start with. Sachs was not a good fit for my needs and what I think is important, SQ aside.