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Preamp suggestions for Atma-Sphere Class D Monoblocks

As I impatiently await the arrival of my Atma-Sphere class-d monos, I am writing to solicit opinions from experienced members on this site. Balanced inputs and outputs as well as the ability to connect a subwoofer are important. Headphone amp would be nice but not critical. Ditto for built-in phono. These are some of the tube and solid state units I am considering (not necessarily exhaustive):

  1. Atma-Sphere MP-3 mk3.3
  2. Cary SLP-05 (ultimate edition, if I can find a pristine used pair at a good price)
  3. Modwright LS-100
  4. PrimaLuna EVO 400
  5. Supratek - Champagne or 6SN7 Cabernet - I have no idea what the difference between these two are and the website is not helpful at all
  6. Anthem STR
  7. Benchmark LA-4/HPA-4
  8. Bryston BR-20 (or one of their purely analog variants - BP-19?) - I am hesitant to bundle streaming and dac into a preamp
  9. NAD M66
  10. ?

I will initially use the Bel Canto DAC2.8 as a dac and preamp with an Auralic Aries G1.1 as the streamer. My speakers are Totem Acoustic Forest Signatures, sub is a REL s/510 that I seldom use. I am unsure whether I can use the speaker level connections with the A-S monos (my current Bel Canto Ref510S class d amp has a chassis grounding screw to which I connect the REL’s ground wire).

Philosophically speaking, I have owned a wide range of equipment over the years - everything from "measurements above all" type gear (a full Benchmark stack), a few tube pieces (PrimaLuna, Tavish Design, Rogue), Class A amplification (Pass Labs XA-30.8) and a completely active Genelec 8351b based system. I seem to be slowly but surely gravitating towards subjectively great sounding gear, regardless of how they measure - the Totems are a case in point. However, I don’t want to find that I have moved too far in any one direction. At the end of the day, I value realism and emotional connection more than the ability to deconstruct the music but I don’t want to listen to a sloppy system that homogenizes everything. I’m sure this is all clear as mud! It is however, a reflection of where I am at the end of 28 years of being on this hamster wheel. All thoughts and suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance.

Ag insider logo xs@2xsrama
soix
9,456 posts
 

Here’s a thread where Don Sachs and Lynn Olson, who designed the Raven preamp, go into detail about some of the development and technical design aspects of the preamp.  Need to weed through it to find the various responses but interesting if you’re curious to know more.  I have to say that given all the cumulative wisdom/effort and that went into it, $5495 seems like quite a relative bargain to me.  

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/spatial-audio-raven-preamp

mglik
908 posts
 

#1 for sure an Atma-Sphere MP-3!

Ag insider logo xs@2x
srama OP
65 posts
 

@soix, thanks, that was the first thread that came up when I searched based on your mentioning the Spatial. It does sound very impressive indeed and I was inspired to reach out to them via their website.

I wish I knew how it compares to the MP-3. There is a lot to be said for system energy and surely @atmasphere Ralph would have designed the Class D so they work brilliantly as a pair.

BTW, does the MP-3 have a remote control? I don’t see it mentioned on the product page and lack of a remote is a non -starter for me, especially while streaming.

 

 

oldschool1948's avatar
oldschool1948
501 posts
 

@OP I use a LTA MicroZOTL Preamplifier Level 2 with a PS Audio BHK250 power amp and love the sound.  The LTA doesn’t have balanced outputs so that may be an issue.  When I purchased the ZOTL pre amp, I went from a fully balanced system to all RCA cables.  I now have to turn the volume up a little higher to get the same level as with the balanced cables, but there’s no loss in SQ.

soix
9,456 posts
 

I wish I knew how it compares to the MP-3. There is a lot to be said for system energy and surely @atmasphere Ralph would have designed the Class D so they work brilliantly as a pair.

Yeah, synergy was a biggie why I recommended it along with it just being a great preamp, plus it obviously also adheres to the AES balanced standard that can pay dividends in allowing for cheaper interconnects — not sure which if any of the others I recommended follow the standard.  I’m almost positive the MP-3 has a remote option and would be shocked if it didn’t. 

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