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Best Preamp under $5k??

I think around $5k is the reflection point of value/price ratio for preamps--or mostly any audio equipment maybe except speakers--where beyond this point, you would have to spend thousands more to improve just a little. What is the best preamp under $5k--tube or solid state?? Some popular ones are sf line 3, bat vk5i, arc ls25, simaudio p-5, plinius m16. Personally I have a cj pfr which I like quite a bit, but sooner or later it will be upgraded...
madnut
bezeemya
20 posts
 
kbs1249...my mistake, I meant the arc LS10. ss pre. A little quirky re: switching inputs so as not to feed +-2v signal thru speakers when used for theatre.
kevint
28 posts
 
First Sound Presence Audio Delux Mk II. Tube without the haze, brings everything to life with a dead quite backdrop. And its under $4K.
shubertmaniac
350 posts
 
Spectral DMC-12. Neutral and hi-rez. Great if you have
hi-rez speakers/source/amp
markh
20 posts
 
Morrison ELAD!
rayhall
393 posts
 
I am a CAT Ultimate owner and I auditioned the Hovland for the first time last Saturday. I found the Hovland to be very neutral, very smooth. Its dynamics are present, but not world class like the CAT. Its midrange was quite liquid and it showed very good presence in the mids but still less than the CAT. It did throw a decent soundstage both side-to-side and front-to-back but significantly less than the CAT. It did have a beautiful high end which was better than the CAT. It is not bright but it is right up to the limit. It is extremely detailed and the highs sound "spotlit" in a most engaging and attractive way. The deep bass performance of the Hovland is disappointing. On my deep bass test, the Hovland did not really move air. If solid deep bass is important to you (40hz and below), you will find that this preamp cuts off those frequencies. All in all, do you have to ask which preamp I found to sound better?
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