2. amps-preamps
  3. 191802-4635

Solid State Preamp to replace tube unit

I currently own a CJ tube preamp. Ive always owned tube preamps and I would like to get my first solid state preamp.I am fed up with buying expensive hard to find tubes that last 3 months or new production tubes with that not so great sound. I pine for consistency. I probably wont sell my CJ I'll just keep it. My power amps are NAD M23 for the summer and CJ Premiere 12's for the winter.

Since I dont dabble in the solid state world I am not sure what to get. I figure since this is my first SS unit 4-5k preowned??. Some brands I have considered CODA< Pass, AYRE, Classe, Bel Canto, Krell etc. Note: I have tried the Parasound and Benchmark but they didnt do it for me. I dont like anayltical sterile sound. If it is a touch warm/colored that is probably good as I am coming from a very warm CJ tube unit.

Must haves are a remote with balance control. Multiple outputs (XLR and RCA). I have an outboard phono pre. Thank you for reading and for your suggestions.

jimbones
zuesman
130 posts
 

lordrootman,

why are you selling? The p8 is an absolutely phenomenal preamp I can understand selling the w8 because the 861 is so much better, It's going to be hard to beat the p8.

chenry's avatar
chenry
197 posts
 

I have been using a preamp with a selectable tube gain section (Pro-Ject Pre Box RS2 Digital) with a ss class-D amp (NAD C298, which uses a Purify design). The combination has worked very well. The amplifier is rated 185W into 8 ohms.

larryi
3,994 posts
 

I have been running tube gear for more than twenty years and never had a single tube go bad.  The tubes in my current linestage were of unknown age and usage before they went into my unit which I have owned for more than 15 years.  The amp I’ve had even longer and it too had old tubes installed when I got them.  My phonostage, which has tubes and a separate power supply, suffered the only “failure” I’ve ever had—a shelf fell on the power supply wiping out the twin 300B’s that served as rectifiers; this happened a couple of weeks ago.

vinylshadow
494 posts
 

Townshend Audio Allegri Reference Passive preamp!

dynalead
37 posts
 

Krell

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