yet another tube preamp recommendation thread

Aesthetix or as noted a used ARC Ref5

Last call for those tube linestage gems ! ~ 4.5 K or so-
Transparency, timbre and holographic soundstage

If you can find one of our MP-3 line stage preamps used you should be able to pick it up in that price range or less. They have direct coupled balanced outputs and no worries driving the input impedance of your amp. The direct-coupled output helps a lot with transparency...

avanti, you have a Rogue Stereo 100 as your amp, correct?  It's hard to argue with the RP7+ST100 combo.  That's what I have and the match is fantastic, especially when you roll tubes to your liking.  Dynamics, punch, silky treble, "3D" soundstage are all there.  I am not changing this setup for a long time, as I am quite happy!

I had an SLP98 years ago after they first came out. Maybe they have gotten better over time with upgrades, but to my ears that was a very colored preamp with not much transparency. I sold it to a friend of mine and purchased another Modulus 3a.

You should also consider the Don Sachs Model 2 preamp. Plenty of tube goodness and very transparent too.

Oz

@avanti1960
i love my cj et5... it is tremendously good sounding (full disclosure i have been a cj lover for decades, still also have a prem 16ls2 i swap in every now and then) - for me a perfect straddle of clarity and tube goodness

modwright tube linestages are also excellent, as are herrons (though i have never had one myself)

@ozzy62
i agree w you, the slp98 is not a model of transparency compared to current top line tube pre’s, quite euphonic

i picked up a don sachs unit used but i have been having problems with it... popping noise when changing volume, very sensitive to placement/quite a bit of microphony... i can tell it sounds very very nice but mine has been rather problematic... bought it used to try, my bad... :(