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Preamp SS to match class D amp

I have been reading quite a lot and unfortunately I cannot find a post who can guide me into a match between SS pre amp and amp class D. Going through forums people ask advices only on tube pre amp to combine class D amp probably for the fact of the colorations of tube and some sterile class d amp they own. I recently bought some Belcanto ref600m as I got rid of my Mcintosh 8900 who sounded too 80s hifi and I wonder if someone can suggest a good pre amp to link. I would like to have something well build, dual mono if there are still, with balanced input and output. Considering that I listen mainly vinyl, analogic circuit I am thinking. Question as well, is there any preamp with streamer and Dac or these are only digital? As I would like to have a Dac as well to attach and I am wondering if make sense to have another extra gear

thanks
beppep
jperry
2,487 posts
 
Same brand has built in DAC, streamer and phono
http://belcantodesign.com/home/e1x/e1x-dac/
beppep OP
17 posts
 
I know AVM as I live nearby the Germany, probably the new products are better but previous ones not such big audiophile reputation at least in Europe and you have to add modules in the pasts taking up the price. Wondering if Pass or Ayres would fit just the analog part on a decent way, they have a lot of analog input.
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,533 posts
 
Surprising to hear that as the US Trade Pubs like The Absolute Sound and Stereophile love AVM.  I have personally done some A/B comparisons between the flagship Ovation MA8.3 monos and other amps and was shocked at how good they sound.  

They still do a lot of modular designs but their "streaming preamps" are not modular.  

For just analog, Pass or Ayre might be good choices.  Need to look at impedance matching to make sure they are compatible to get the most out of them.  
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,186 posts
 
Going through forums people ask advices only on tube pre amp to combine class D amp probably for the fact of the colorations of tube and some sterile class d amp they own.
Tube preamps are not used to add colorations. They are used to avoid them as many solid state preamps sound bright. Most solid state amps do too, but class D is altogether a different animal and does not have the same artifacts as traditional solid state (so they don't usually sound bright). In fact some class D amps are quite neutral- far more so than traditional solid state. Since solid state preamps have lagged behind class D in this regard, that is why many people resort to tubes.

To be clear here, when I use the word 'neutral' it encompasses 'musical' as well, since we are talking about low distortion that is consistent at all frequencies (traditional solid state tends to have increasing distortion as frequency is increased). When distortion is **properly** controlled then the circuit will be both musical and neutral.

If you must go solid state, I would be looking at either a Benchmark or Pass Labs. 
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