HI
Don Sachs here. I really don't care which preamp you buy, but for people to say my preamp is the sp14 is not correct. The board is the same. The board has been improved immensely because I have suggested improvements to Roy. But, I run the circuit at a different operating point, I have made improvements to the power and filament supplies that are sonically significant, I use FAR better parts than the kits, I have made numerous mods that are not published. Plus you get a nice case. Buy whatever you want, but for some person to say you are "giving" me a $1000 when you could just build the kit is totally inaccurate nonsense posted by someone who knows nothing about it. Check out the prices for a pair of VCap ODAM caps or a 64 step remote Khozmo attenuator with relay input switching and add that to your kit price. Gee that raised it by $500 didn't it? The price of custom panels and a solid cherry or walnut case. I have spent years improving what is a very good circuit. I have spent years restoring vintage tube gear and building my own. Thousands of pieces of gear. I have heard tons of different caps, resistors, types of wire, etc.... I make choices based upon my experience and testing. I build the best sounding piece of gear I can and then I price it based upon what it costs to build. So yes, buy a kit from Roy and you will have a great preamp that will slay most $3000+ commercial gear. But it won't sound like mine.....
Don Sachs here. I really don't care which preamp you buy, but for people to say my preamp is the sp14 is not correct. The board is the same. The board has been improved immensely because I have suggested improvements to Roy. But, I run the circuit at a different operating point, I have made improvements to the power and filament supplies that are sonically significant, I use FAR better parts than the kits, I have made numerous mods that are not published. Plus you get a nice case. Buy whatever you want, but for some person to say you are "giving" me a $1000 when you could just build the kit is totally inaccurate nonsense posted by someone who knows nothing about it. Check out the prices for a pair of VCap ODAM caps or a 64 step remote Khozmo attenuator with relay input switching and add that to your kit price. Gee that raised it by $500 didn't it? The price of custom panels and a solid cherry or walnut case. I have spent years improving what is a very good circuit. I have spent years restoring vintage tube gear and building my own. Thousands of pieces of gear. I have heard tons of different caps, resistors, types of wire, etc.... I make choices based upon my experience and testing. I build the best sounding piece of gear I can and then I price it based upon what it costs to build. So yes, buy a kit from Roy and you will have a great preamp that will slay most $3000+ commercial gear. But it won't sound like mine.....