help me choose between Audionet and Constellation Audio

thanks. i have also thought about keeping the bat pre. starting at the introductory  level on the audionet amp 1 v2 i was curious if it is any good. one thing i see is to get the next step pre is a little salty. is antbody using the v2 amp with a different manufacturer preamp.

This is not exactly what you asked, but if you had to pick Audionet amp(s) vs preamp, I would pick the amp(s).

so you're telling me the amps are better than their pres?

So, when buying gear in such limited circulation, it really becomes difficult to come up with a buying strategy. 

Comparing amplifiers to preamplifiers doesn’t seem, to me, to be a reasonable thing to do. This is especially true when you aren’t even discussing specific models.  I’ll be interested in the response to your question.  I get the impression, upon reading post here, that few people own Audionet gear, so how many can actually compare Audionet to Constellation?  When I look at @fastfreight system page, I doubt that there are many downsides to such high level gear….oh..other than cost.

Hello, @dpm2340  "so you're telling me the amps are better than their pres?"

Are you an investigative reporter? :)  Just kidding.

I am a huge Audionet fan, and now own the Stern and Heisenbergs. I believe strongly in the synergy between their amps and preamps.  So much that you see what I ended up with.  But I did not start there.  My first piece was the Pre 1G3.  I got it when my Classe Pre / pro crapped out for the third time.  So the Audionet Pre 1 went with my Classe amp.

It was as if a veil had been lifted. (I know ..these terms).  I decided there was something special going on.  So after a bit I jumped in and ordered the Pre G2 and the Max amps.  I was smitten.  compared to PS Audio high end, stuff with blue meters, Classe, Parasound, and all else I had heard, the Audionet combo blew them away.  And GTT Audio and Bill are great.

Today, in my second system, I still have the Max amps, but with the Mola Mola Makua preamp with internal Tambaqui.  Is this combo as good as the Pre G2 with separate Tambaqui?  Not quite, but still pretty special sounding and a cute preamp with internal DAC in my Family room vs the separates in my basement main room.

The amps simply sparkle and are much better than the Mola Mola Kaluga class D amps I had up there.  So in this instance, the Audionet amps pair superbly with another pre.

The Audionet amps and matching pre have wonderful synergy I think and it sounds best that way.  But if I could only start with one, it would be the amps.  My commitment to this is evident in my Stern preamp, when I only have one input (my DAC)!

We will always need and desire the best amps possible.  But the preamp is evolving,  Many nice preamps with internal DACs, as evidenced by my Makua with onboard Tambaqui, are now available.  Cute and pretty and organized.  But not so easy to upgrade if one wants a different DAC!

@vonhelmholtz there a couple of downsides to the Stern:  cost, placement, and required power cord and interconnects.  But sound quality is not amongst them!