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Manual preamp volume control - Audible Illusions M3B

Is it true that most preamps with remote control have a lot to do with their sound quality?
Do vintage preamps with manual precision volume control have the inherent advantage over modern preamps with remote control?
After a few months of mulling over preamp upgrade, I took a plunge on Audible Illusions M3B preamp after reading some posts on the advantage of manual volume control over remote.
Some, including Michael Fremer, considered AI M3A was one of the best preamp.
" All of this adds up to what is clearly one of the finest-sounding, best-built full-function preamplifiers in the world—and the reviews from around the world reflect that."
https://www.stereophile.com/tubepreamps/316/index.html

M3B is considered much better than M3A. AI still produces M3B (preamp with MM phono) and M3B MC (phono for low output) with no remote control.
If the answer to my two questions are true, when most super charged audiophiles search for holy grails, why they choose preamps with remote control over those with manual control, and prefer convenience over sound quality?


128x128ihcho
ihcho's avatar
ihcho OP
612 posts
 
Thx.
l will take no as Precision Stepped Attenuators used in M3B is a better technology in volume control to produce quality sound.
I still like to hear your opinion on Mac preamp. Does it sound as good as M3B in your system?
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,388 posts
 
The Mac tube preamp in my system is the best and last preamp I will purchase. One of the big problems with all the Modulus series preamps was it put out way too much gain. The highest I could set the volume lever was at 10 O Clock which did not give me much of a volume range and when they went with the stepped controls when the 3A came out, it was worse. That was my biggest gripe. My second biggest gripe was the tube hiss that came and went over and over and I always used the tubes recommended by AI.

The John Curl MC gold preamp in my 3A and 3B was better than the MC preamp in my Mac pre.  That is the only area that the Modulus was better than the Mac. The Mac has an ease I didn’t get with the AI plus it is dead quiet.  My preamp has 6 tubes and I can Jack the volume wide open with out any hiss, not even a peep. 
ihcho's avatar
ihcho OP
612 posts
 
Thanks for your response and it is good to hear that you like your Mac and you are happy with it.
It was recommended for me to change M3B tubes every two year or so, and that tells that  M3B pushes harder than most other tube preamps.
I wonder how many would purchase $5K preamp, knowing that they have to change the set of tubes ($300+) every two years. With light listening, it may be 3~4 years, but still I think it is more often than most other tube preamps.
For my system, I don't hear any tube hiss from M3B. I put the normal listening volume level at 12 ~ 1 o'clock. That is the same level with Plinius M16P. On PrimaLuna it has to be 2 ~ 3 o'clock. No wonder PrimalLuna preamp tubes last much longer than AI Modulus series preamp. Anyway, I prefer the sound from M3B much better than PrimaLuna.
If I own M3B long enough to realize that the tubes need to be changed every 2 years, then I might feel different, but as of now, I am happy with the sound of M3B, and I don't mind to change the volume manually.

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