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preamps - vtl tl5.5/rogue 99/linn kairn

i currently use a linn kairn w/brilliant p/s & fono - great transparency/detail/clarity/pace, & convenience. considering toobs, & have narrowed it down to the vtl tl-5.5 & the rogue 99. both have optional internal fono, like the linn. i'm interested in the possibility of better soundstage depth, but don't wanna give up what the linn does well. speakers are meret re's, bi-amped w/a pair of electrocompaniet amps; lo-end is x-over'd at 60hz w/a marchand 24db/octave x-over, to a pair of bridged adcom gfa 555's driving vmps larger subs. any comments/suggestions? max budget is ~$2k (new *or* used). thanks
sedond
sedond OP
1,391 posts
 
trelja, remote-control is now mandatory for me in a pre - adjusting the wolume from the listening position is something ya don't wanna give up, once ya have it! ;~) this is especially true in my set-up, where the electronics are in the corner, behind & to the left of the speakers.

the hi-end cj stuff is the only one ya mention that offers remote, afaik, & even used, prolly outta my budget at present.

melos is supposed to be offering a revised photentiometer in the next couple of months, designed by mark porzilli, that won't be so suceptible to shipping damage - i tink i will swap out the alps pots in my unit when these are awailable... the alps pots, while nice, were a sonic step backwards from the original photentiometer, imho - one that melos had to do because ~25% of 'em were getting outta alignment due to shipping...

regards, doug

david99's avatar
david99
1,467 posts
 
hey dud,do you know what your melos did/does sell for new? just curious.tanks!
sedond OP
1,391 posts
 
david, i paid $1800 for my music director - it was supposed to have all the latest capacitor updates from the ma-333, besides having the alps pots in lieu of the ma-333's photentiometer set-up. but, i guess the old melos, struggling in its last days, missed a few things, so i had the *new* melos replace a few more caps, for $200, which included shipping both ways. $1800-$2000 seems to be the going rate for these, when they come awailable.

as for prices when brand-gnu, both the ma-333 & the music director listed for $4600, when equipped w/balanced ins/outs. this was for the 2-box linestage wersion. the 3-box version, which includes fono-stage, listed for $7400. stand-alone 2-box fonostage listed for $3600, add-on to a melos linestage - same as 3-box wersion - listed for $3k. i got the linestage, & use a pentagon ps-3 fono-stage.

regards, doug

ps - their old www still hase some info, if innerested:

http://www.bitstorm.net/sedrick/mindex.htm

gmele
93 posts
 
Second-Just wondering? Have you seen alot of these on the used market? I remeber back in the day that preamp got some great reviews. Do you have any additional info on it, I will check out there web address you had left in your earlier post.Thanks-Gary
sedond OP
1,391 posts
 
gmele,

no, these don't come up f/s frequently - which is why i bought one when i found it, even tho i had purchased the cary only a couple weeks prior. i'd always wanted to try one - i really liked the sha-gold, which i'd heard before. (this is basically a less-expensive 1-box wersion, not in true balanced configuraqtion.) i figured i'd a-b 'em, & keep the one i liked best. the melos stayed.

there was one other one awailable that i found out about yust after buying mine; i tink i still have the guy's email address if yer innerested; he was asking $2100...

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