2. amps-preamps
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Bring my own preamp to an amp demo?

I'm going tomorrow to demo a Bryston 4B3. I have a PrimaLuna Evo 300 preamp and Harbeth 30.2 XD speakers. The dealer suggested that I use a similarly priced preamp that he sells, but if I want to hear the amp with my specific preamp and the speakers I own (which he sells, and I bought from him) I need to drop it off when he opens and come back later because he has other appointments booked and needs time to connect my PL preamp, and maybe (I'm guessing) get it warmed up. I'm also going to listen to a BAT VK-56SE, and he suggested I keep an open mind and listen to an Einstein Integrated amp and thinking about selling my PL Evo 300 preamp. He wants me to have an open mind, and said he has a lot of customers that like and bought the Einstein with Harbeths. He also has an Audio Note amp demo for me to listen to as well. He's not a fan of PL, but is happy to work with me.
Bring my preamp or not?
128x128ctwith3
phcollie's avatar
phcollie
342 posts
 
By all means take your PL.  Also, Try and determine how many hours he has on his 4B3 in the shop.  Bryston puts 100 on them before they leave. I purchased my 4B3 with 50 hours on it as a demo unit from a dealer here in NC.  It seemed to fully break in after I put another 100 on it. Hearing it with your pre before you start spending more hard earned money is a sensible thing to do.  Maybe even bring a couple of sets of tubes to roll?
KenRad VT231(6SN7)  & Melz 1578s did the trick for me.  Please post your findings after...
ctwith3's avatar
ctwith3 OP
71 posts
 
I just found Audio Connection on the web, they are, according to Google maps, 1 minute farther away than the dealer in NYC. Has he let you take home demo units?
 Thanks.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,957 posts
 
OP you have a PM

vinylzone
288 posts
 
They offered to lend me a preamp for a weekend when I picked up the Maggies I purchased there. I haven't taken them it yet as I wanted to wait for the Maggie's to break in.  I'll be talking to John soon about preamps.
ctwith3's avatar
ctwith3 OP
71 posts
 
I can't do a weekend loan, my traveling situation demands a week. I see he has a 30 day return policy.
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