Looking at these specific preamps give me your opinions


I'm building a system and I have an SMC Audio DNA.5 power amp that was built about a year ago so it's up to date on technology although it is still single ended.  I have NX-otica and OB subwoofers from GR Research.  I am looking for a good preamp.  I have a few in mind and would like some opinions.  I have listed them below.

TLC-2  GT24 built by SMC Audio

VRE-1c made by SMC Audio

Revelation Raven tube preamp by Spatial Audio

LTA tube preamp

The TLC-2 and Revelation would need to be purchased new the others I might catch them online used.

128x128brbrock

I have, and really enjoy the PS Audio BHK preamp. It has five inputs, and each input has both balanced and RCA connections. You could actually hook up 10 devices at the same time, so long as you only played one (either the balanced or RCA) at a time per input. It also has both balanced and RCA output, and I have them simultaneously attached to a power amp - the balanced to the Zesto, the RCA to the Coincident. Then I can choose which one to use by only moving the speaker cables in the back, which takes mere moments. 

It has a tube input, and mosfet output. When you roll in different 12au7's you can really hear it - I have enjoyed shaping the sound by thoughtful tube rolling. As a bonus, it has a very nice internal headphone amp that powers my Audeze headphones with ease. 

Anyway, that is the one that works for me... 

I have a LTA MicroZOTL preamp.  I had two different conrad-johnson preamps before that.  I'm using it with single ended interconnects to a Coda solid state amplifier.  I'm very happy with it.  I thought I'd miss the warmth of the cj preamps, but I really don't. I feel that it's better than the cj. 

I just figured out recently that LTA uses technology from berning and Steve McCormack with SMC helps design berning amps. So 3 of the 4 on the list are related in some way.

Really depends on what sound characteristics you’re looking for.  That said, I also have a fully modded DNA 0.5 and I’d do a trial of the Raven without a doubt, but that’s me.

Knowing the story behind it and the people involved with the design and implementation I would most certainly look into the Revelation Raven. My suspicion is that it's truly superb.

Charles