yet another tube preamp recommendation thread

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... :(

Don Sachs here.  To be fair, I have sent the person above a whole new power supply board for the Khozmo attenuator.  If that doesn't solve the popping we will source a new khozmo board because there may be a bad relay.  I have probably 100 khozmo attenuators in the world and only have seen one or two with popping issues.   I am taking care of him even though it is a used preamp.  As for placement, the preamp couldn't care less.  It is probably microphonic tubes.  The preamp is not microphonic.   

Studebaker