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.
First off, no quality tubes, NOS or new should be getting noisy that often, either you're getting close to end of life tubes or pre running those tubes hard.
Last year I tried SS pre after decades with tubes, so purchased Pass XP-22 based on Pass rep of being tube lovers SS. While I tried to like, simply couldn't get past bit of dryness and the excessively precise sound staging. Scratched that itch off the list. |
Hi @jimbones , I agree with avoiding tubes..if you can get sweet sound. For me, at any of their price points, it is Audionet.. I started with the Pre G1 and it opened my eyes to how a good preamp could sound. Then the Pre G2 and now ultimately the Stern. I don't think any of them have balance control though. My other excellent preamp is a Mola Mola Makua. |
C-J is notorious for being hard on preamp tubes. This was one of the factors why I bought a Cary instead. There was just too many reports in the ET series of the 6922 tube lasting only a short time.
most tube preamps are easier on their tubes. My experience is that tubes can easily last a decade or more (Marantz 7C; Audio Research SP6B, Cary SLP05, Schiit Freya and Saga). |
SPL Elector. read about it here. https://spl.audio/en/spl-produkt/elector/ |
