Just wanted to thank everyone for all the good suggestions. I am in a good place in that I dont have to give up my tube equipment. So I dont lose any of that magic. When I go to SS, if I dont like it, I can always go back to tube. I am not so sure I wont like a good Pass preamp..I think I could live with it LOL!!!
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.
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I would not hesitate to consider a very good DAC. Bricasti is excellent and there are sure to be others. The Bricasti that I had has the inputs you require, a very versatile remote and offers so much more then a simple preamp. So rather then pay for a good preamp and then wonder if you DAC is no so good, worth a try. Fewer interconnects as well. |
@sounds_real_audio I have a Holo Spring3 DAC. Not sure if that qualifies as upper echelon but i think it does... |
@jimbones I did really like the Pass XP-22, just couldn't justify having two preamps. My greatest issue was the more tightly drawn images, this means outer edges of images more defined, with my Coincident pre, images more slightly blend with other images on soundstage, more bloom is how some describe it. The Pass is highly resolving/transparent/involving, highs will probably sound more extended vs CJ or most tube pre. Pass didn't sound sterile or anemic in my setup. I will say it didn't have the harmonic textures or micro dynamics of my Statement pre. |
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