High end stereo preamps? Worth it?

joey_v487 posts10-24-2020 6:35pmYes.

it depends on the room but if you’re good with the room, then yes for sure.

i went from Rotel preamp to rogue to Cary 98 then Cary 05 then arc 5se then finally audio research reference 40th anniversary.

the arc 40 is the best preamp I’ve ever owned and it’s hands down one of the best moves I’ve made

Joey! Did you do the Ultimate Upgrade and tube rolling on the Cary SLP-05? I had the Audio Research Reference 5SE and found that the Cary with the upgrade sounded better in every way. I haven’t compared it to the 40th Anniversary preamp or the Ref.10 though. Let me know your thoughts please.

I recently did the Ultimate Upgrade on a Cary SLP-05 preamp. Stunning. Well worth the cost for me. They feed a pair of Passlabs XA60s and Goldenear Triton One.R speakers. 

You will see a number of people singing the praises of the Don Sachs preamp.   They are hand made, custom built, dressed up versions of the VTA SP14 kit.  The Don Sachs preamp will run you about $2500.  The base SP14 kit will run you $1090.  Fully tested and assembled, it will run you $1490.  There are options for better caps, remote control, attenuators, etc, all at a reasonable price more.  The SP14 is very plain Jane if that's an issue for you.  

90% of those who buy the SP14 will get the kit version.  Not all that hard to build.  Excellent instructions and building it will result in you being much more involved in the sound.  The SP14 is every bit as good as any of the other preamps mentioned here - Audio Research, Prima Luna, Manley, Cary Audio, etc.

Depends?  Sure ,   High end preamp would be better than a cheapie .                   Better than no preamp ? Depends on the source and number of sources.  Many sources would benefit from preamp.    One terrific  source with built in volume control , in my opinion is better than adding a high end preamp.   I tried a few preamps with my Pass Labs Xa 100.8 and MSB Analog DAC.  Always preferred no preamp.  Note I tried Pass Labs XP 22 and Audio
Research Ref 6.  I would call these high end preamps.  Every preamp I tried added coloration , diminished tops and bass and muddied transparency.   I could not blame the additional power cable and interconnect because it was the same as the first interconnect and all the other power cables.  Tried in my system back to back settling  the run in preamp and cable in my system .   Maybe because the MSB volume control module module is so darn good. 

I agree with hide45, the Quicksilver linestage is a terrific value. I have both versions of the Quicksilver preamps, the remote and the non remote. They are both great, the non remote is probably a little better in imaging, although there is very new version of the remote that apparently is as good as the non remote. Very reliable as well