yet another tube preamp recommendation thread

@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

If the Sudebaker comment was directed at a preamp, it was made with NO knowledge of the situation.  Guy contacts me that he has bought a used preamp of mine and it is clicking on some volume settings.  He is third owner.  People flip gear, it happens.   Shows me photo of inside and someone has soldered things in there, changing caps, etc..  So I am helping guy out for cost of postage for a part I have on hand.  If it doesn't solve it, I will help him further at little cost to him even though I never even made the sale.  I would say that is not a Studebaker.  I am here, helping a guy who bought a used preamp that was hacked up by someone else.   He is not orphaned.

let me chime in here on the don sachs unit i spoke of below... my comment was not meant to diminish don or his piece... it was just reporting my one data point, which is in the process of being worked through to what i foresee as a good outcome

don is correct on all counts in his posts, he has been a prince, responsive, and helpful to me - the unit had been messed with (not disclosed by the bad seller ’divertiti’ who is also here on a-gon, he represented the unit as stock and mint) and it wasn’t working right when i got it - like i said, i bought it used, once in a long while, you get burned by a sleaze-bag seller.... my bad in this case ...

i picked up this unit largely based on the love that owners of don’s units show in this forum and others, commenting on the quality and sound

don and I have exchanged messages, pictures and phone calls, he has indeed sent me the new PS board for the volume control, should be here soon, look forward to getting it up and running as it should be.

as for the 'studebaker' comment, i would say that is ignorant and demeaning for no good reason... great hifi electronics often sound good because of their simplicity, build quality of materials and workmanship... is don’s piece over-engineered and fort knoxed like an Audio Research or Luxman? of course not... his efforts are to extract the best sound from a proven circuit and design, focusing money and effort where they serve music first and foremost - a lot of respect for don’s approach