Preamp advice

@p05129   +1

Totally agree. 

I have used several McIntosh preamps with my MC240 but I didn't like any of them as much as my Kora Crescendo or Tom Evans Vibe.  The ARC Ref 3 is awesome too, but it eats tubes like crazy. 

The lower the power amp gain, the higher the preamp voltage required for a given output. The higher the preamp voltage, the farther it is above the noise floor, and that equals improved signal to noise ratio for the system overall. This is called gain-staging, and is something many high-end separate systems of ’blended parentage’ get wrong - they are improperly gain staged and are noisy as a result. This is especially helpful with high-sensitivity speakers like La Scalas. This is not a failure of the amp or the preamp, this is a failure of the owner to properly set up the system.

That said, there are many great vacuum tube preamps out there, ARC, Mcintosh, VAC, BAT, Cary, amongst them. They all have their fans and detractors, but they all are in actuality very nice pieces. Just don’t plug them in without some understanding of their gain structure and expect great results.

Rogue Audio - Hera 2

I've had the Audio Research I've had the Rogue audio I've had the bryston I've had the blue circle etc etc etc the only one that sounds like real music and really kicks ass really dynamic sounds like real music in your room audible illusions