First tube preamp recommendations (under $5k)

None of the Tech is cheap either.. BUT Art can be expensive, AY?


It's not cheap, but it's way cheaper than the big name brands top of the line components.

audioman58, I’ve heard the exact amp you speaking of. Balanced and none balanced. BOTH were sent back in leu of Cary’s preamps. Actually my C20s or 2500 have better SQ. I’d compare it to an older C220, but not the SQ of a C2200, 2300, 2500, or 2600.

It’s a line stage with a bunch of expensive parts.. Guess what it has a pretty high distortion level. The old C220 is 1/10 the noise on a scope.

Could have been poorly matched valves.. I didn’t try to clean it up.. Neither did my buddy.. He picked up a Cary SP98 and 94 both very nice pre. Tad low on the gain for me, though.. Gee they are good sounding pre IF you can get GREAT 6N7 matched QUIET valves for the SP98 the 94 is 12AU7 and 12AX7.. IF you find great valves it is a real game changer.. Cary more so than any amp I’ve EVER used..

A SP94 is 2k all dolled up..

I also think the lower gain on the Cary contributes to a very quiet noise floor.. They are a QUIET amp.. Power or pre..

invalid I’m with you they are a HIGH quality piece of GREAT tech at a super duper price.. I’m getting ready to get the EQ. I’m gonna THINK on the LAST 2 preamps I will ever buy.. They will be one of two maybe 2 of TWO. Decware and them... very close for a pure tube pre AND a good valve complement. BOTH use very good transformers too. Rule one on valves. "GREAT transformer", period.. :-)

Regards

ARC Ref 3, best Aesthetix you can find, CJ, …. Just my bias….

Audio gd Vacuum HE1 XLR. Crazy overbuilt for its modest $3k price tag and sonically exquisite. Ended up replacing my PrimaLuna EVO400 even though that wasn’t the plan. It surprised me and sounded that good. 

Don Sachs probably beats everything up to $6k