Best Used Tube Based Preamp $2k Or Under?

That Supratek for $1500 looks quite amazing. (Review here: https://6moons.com/audioreviews/supratek/chardonnay.html)

Here’s a question, @nightfall -- do you have anyone near you that could fix or upgrade equipment, should you have the need? I have had much gear tweaked and in a couple cases fixed by a local audio guy. Having that relationship could be the make-or-break factor in your ability to take chances on various pieces of gear, used or new.

I found my guy by first finding the audio club in my town and then asking them where they got their gear fixed. It’s been smooth sailing since then.

Any of the CJ PV series.  PV-12 is fantastic!

I love Conrad Johnson preamps. My first was a Classic SE, followed by the CT-5 with the teflon cap upgrade, and finally the superb ACT2.

I wish I could find a Classic SE, or reasonably pricedC-T5 available now!

hilde45

5,082 posts

02-14-2025 at 07:55am

That Supratek for $1500 looks quite amazing. (Review here: https://6moons.com/audioreviews/supratek/chardonnay.html)

I have been thinking a lot about this Supratek. Great deal. They have always had great reviews and commentary about the products. My initial concern was I had believed that Mick had shut down the business. Which I still think he did, at some point. But mofimadness notes that he is back up and operating. Still, if there were issues, Australia is a long way to have to ship something. And I don’t have a good local tech to rely on. Closest is a five hour drive to Chicago. And in the end, the real deal breaker is no remote again :(

Yeah, I'm an old tube-roller who has spent many years restoring vintage gear.  IMHO, the finest pre-1970s amp I've worked with was the original Quad 2 monoblock.  You can sometimes find them cheap online.  I had a pair restored by the factory and it was worth every penny.

These little Class A amps have to be paired with the right speakers -- no Magneplanars, thank you! -- but when you do, they're remarkable.  In my case, I used them with a restored set of original Quad ESLs.  Dead friggin' quiet, fast as heck, transparent and overall, as J. Gordon once said, downright pants-wetting.

Yeah, they're not for everyone by any means, but I just wanted to add my 2c.  Gear that you still remember fondly 20 years later doesn't come around too often.