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. 
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lukaske
307 posts
 
The best I ever heared: Ear Yoshino 868 , and Daniel Hertz M6L, (have the last one). In my mind: Ear Yoshino 912.
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hobo1452
85 posts
 
If your budget can handle it, I highly recommend the McIntosh C49. Besides the excellent and upgradable DA1 digital module, it has two balanced inputs, two balanced outputs, and 3 pairs of RCA in’s and out’s. Two of the RCA out’s are variable and one is fixed. It has phono inputs for MM and MC and they have user adjustable parameters specific to the cartridge type to get the best possible performance. All the inputs can be named for the device using them, and unused inputs can be deleted. The level of the incoming signal can also be set for each device so that all operate at the same level. The C49 also has bass, treble and balance controls with a bypass. All this is accessed by the two control knobs and a blue dot matrix screen. The icing on the cake is a wonderfully functional remote with a volume control that is actually useable, and allows access to all the functions.
markmuse
252 posts
 
I replaced my PS Audio BHK with a Benchmark LA4. Great move for me. The gain of the BHK is significant, resulting in noise with 6 and 7 volt tubes in my efficient system (might not be a problem with less efficient speakers and lower powered amps).

The Benchmark is spooky good - absolutely silent, imaging and low level detail improved significantly. 
aolmrd1241
1,023 posts
 
The latest Coda 07X...it does so many things so well.. that to do better..one would have to spend much more. Law of diminishing returns applies very well with this pre.  
fastfreight
690 posts
 
I also have replaced my PS Audio BHK Pre.  First with the Audionet 
Pre1-G3, which afforded more clarity and resolution, and a better image.

I have now upgraded to the Audionet Pre G2, with even more of the same virtues.

The comments about the Benchmark are ironic to me; It measures great and imparts nothing to the music.  But (to me) the audionet stuff provides much better soundstage and imaging, with amazing resolution.

Is that adding something to the music?  Imaging? Yes and no.  It does not 'color' the music in any way.  But it sounds better!
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