2. amps-preamps
  3. 165668-2383

Reccomend a good preamp for me.

I have nixed the preamp for a while now with using only a DCS Rossini DAC going direct.  I have that in the back of my room and a 10M pair of balanced cables that run to my various amps I use.  I have been getting back into vinyl again and even a cassette player so I am in need of a preamp that will have at least one balanced input and 2 more RCA inputs.  I have been trying different amps and speakers lately also and think I will land on some kind of lower powered tubes and higher efficiency speakers.  I used to have a few nice preamps years ago and I always remember thinking the preamp was a big piece of the puzzle the heart maybe of the system.  PS Audio BHK looks good maybe or a Pass Preamp?  I'm out of the loop on preamps. 
128x128ejlif
mglik
908 posts
 
The answer for me having Atma-Sphere amps is an Atma MP1 preamp. Think it is one of the best at any cost. Fully equipped, it is close to $30K but it’s built in phono section is superb and eliminates the need for an outboard phono preamp and extra cable.
gdnrbob
4,447 posts
 
I will second an Atmasphere MP-1 for tubes and an Ayre KX-R for SS.
I own both and they are very good.
The Atma is pretty much stock and the KX-R is non-Twenty. If I have funds to play with, I am getting the Ayre upgraded, and the Atma fitted with Caddox resistors.
Both companies are run by the nicest, and talented people you could ever meet.
Bob
sheffieldrock
19 posts
 
Mark Levinson 380S or 326S, JK Acoustics Passive 10 or...no preamp at all if you like it loud w/o volume control (source directly to power amp)
soix
9,569 posts
 
I always remember thinking the preamp was a big piece of the puzzle the heart maybe of the system. 
Amen to that!  What sound characteristics are you looking for?

ejlif's avatar
ejlif OP
1,375 posts
 
I have been on a bit of a merry go round with gear but I think I will be settling on the Decware Zen Triode amp and I also probably keep around the Pass 30.8 as well.  Speakers will be Klipsch Forte III and maybe going to upgrade to Cornwall once the dust has settled.  I have Maggie LRS and Zu Dirty weekend and also just sold my Kef Blades.  They are all good but I like the Forte III and Decware amp the best of the bunch.  The Benchmark pre does look good as I don't think I would be looking for a flavor so much as just the function of a preamp mostly the multiple inputs but I'm not opposed to it either.  I like the tubes and vinyl best so that kind of shows my priorities.  I would consider something that had a top notch phono stage too, that could save me on a separate phono stage that I'm sure I'll want to upgrade at some point down the line. 
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