Mixed Brand Pre-Amp Power Amp Pairings that Work

I have mixed and matched for most of the last fifty years. At first because the best in each category was made by a different manufacturer and also a lack of funds to buy what I really wanted.

Much more recently… with adequate funds, simply by upgrading I ended up with nearly all Audio Reseach equipment minus one. My audio dealer brought over the one missing piece without me asking and said just try this. I was sold in a few minutes.

I think the world has changed. There are some high end companies where you get a huge advantage in synergy. Audio Research is definitely one of them. I will not be mixing and matching any more.

Even in the relatively small world of high end audio there are of course different schools of engineers. Two like-minded engineers were (both are recently deceased) Roger Modjeski of Music Reference (and RAM Tube Works) and Tim de Paravicini of EAR-Yoshino, both experts in the field of tube amplification circuitry and the design and build of transformers.

I have found the EAR-Yoshino 868 pre-amp to be a superb partner with any of Modjeski's power amps (the RM-9, RM-10, and RM-200, all of which I own in Mk.2 form). The EAR 868 affords both single-ended and true AES48-compliant balanced outputs (via Paravicini's own transformers), so can be mated with both the single-ended input RM-9 and RM-10 amps and the balanced-input only RM-200. Unlike almost all other tube amplifier makers, Modjeski hand-wound his own transformers. 

A combo that is unknown, to most of you out there is: Backert Labs and McGary Audio. If you dig yourself out of the marketing and review mentality you will get to listen to this magnificent examples of super bargain audio here.😇

@drvinyl01

Thank you for you incredible insight. Please share your experience, systems, history, and venue so we can benefit from your unique insight.

I have an ARC LS27 preamp paired with a Luxman M900U power amp, Speakers Harbeth 40.2 anniversary. I think that combination works really well.