Tube preamp options

i think what might be more illustrative is to look at the Vandersteen amplifiers for potential clues… The M7 is all out hybrid tube and SS outputs with a SE quasi ciirclotron   typology with liquid cooling for perfect bias, no emiter resistors….built in HRS style isolation in a novel hanging truss…. the list is longer…. 

The ( much ) more affordable M5’s are all SS but have similar architecture. I believe the first preamp will be intended to mate w M5 level gear. I expect Richard will build a mate for the M7…..eventually…. i am in line and will evaluate it in 2 systems using Vandersteen amps and speakers. Finally for US audio shows, Vandy often pairs w ARC and many Vandy dealers carry both…. customer choice will be enhanced in most cases…how wonderful 

best to all

Jim

it is a very serious effort…i believe the production level prototype weighs about 30# and has 12 regulated supplies…. but don’t quote me… ha.

IF you have been to a Vandersteen seminar at dealers, he has been talking about it a bit…. There are 3 events scheduled in the midwest next week…usa.

@tomic601 

Thanks for the additional information. Interesting times.

Charles

@tomic601 

Thanks for your further thoughts. My Bardo is on an HRS isolation platform but I can't say I have a tremendous amount of isolation downstream. I have nothing on the tonearm which is a brinkmann 10.5 or cartridge which is a Mike Trei installed ortofon cadenza black. I got the unit from stereo exchange and Trei had set it up for them. On my phono pre which is a Rogers Hi Fi PA-2, I took off the stock feet and put some Herbie's audio lab tenderfeet. I also have some Herbie's super sonic stabilizers on top of it. Tube dampers on all the gain tubes. I have no isolation under the preamp. I did put some 3" granite slabs undery quatros at RVs suggestion. Maybe an HRS platform under each of the other components is a good next move. 

@soix my speakers are about 30"inches from the front wall. I spent a fair bit of time talking to John Rutan at Audio Connection about speaker placement. Like I said, my soundstage is wide and focused with nearly no toe in but very little depth.

@gdnrbob thanks for the thoughts. Going all Vandersteen might be the ticket. We'll see. I've looked at the Atma stuff and it's all balanced which is great but would mean I'd need a different phono stage and I really like mine. Haven't looked closely at Ayre but will check it out! 

OK as mot of you know we are manufacturers of tube audio products. Point-to-point wired using the best parts. Most of the suggestions above are safe choices but all have advantages and disadvantages meaning they are all built to a price point.. Depending on your price point We could send you something to hear or my recommendation would be to buy a used Counterpoint SA-3000 and send it to us for a complete upgrade. We just finished one and it was really killer. Customer transformer, audio note resistors and capacitors, nichicon capacitors, V-Caps, etc. This is as close as you will get to reference sound without spending that much.

We have a listening room in Northern New Jersey with Sonus Faber, Vivid, Horning, Vandersteen Sevens and 5As so we can to hear many options and how they interact. We also repair and modify components so we get to hear more gear than most of you have ever heard in a your system in 20-30 years.

Plus we can build you a preamp to what ever tube or specifications you prefer.

Happy Listening,