Blue Circle BC3 Galatea - thoughts

I've only read a review, but from it I know that this preamp has the best volume control I've learned of, FAR better than the series stepped attenuator used in both CAT SL-1 and CAT Ultimate. When the rest of your system gets good, a stepped ladder attenuator with top resistors will make an easily audible difference. Nor would I worry about its "matching" a Classe too much. I don't think any negatives in that combo are likely to be attributable to the Blue Circle preamp. (I've owned Classe power amps.) I don't happen to believe in active preamps at all, but if I did, I haven't heard of one that sounds better than the Blue Circle BC3 Galatea. Are you able to get it on a trial basis?

I have the Despina hooked to the Plinus mk 3 and Merlin VSM/se's...relaxing.

I've had the BC3 in my system for several weeks. The unit I have is probably one of the most recent ones that BC built. (5/01 production) Shortly after I ordered it, I called BC to ask an amplifier related question. I was surprised when Gilbert himself answered, and told me he was almost finished building my preamp, and had to put down his tools so he could pick up the phone. Knowing his reputation as a perfectionist, it gave me a certain level of comfort to know that the designer/president actually worked on it.

Before the BC3, I was using the BC21 which is a wonderful sounding preamp, but the BC3 is in a whole other class. As soon as the BC3 went in, there was a dramatic improvement from top to bottom. I am using it in combonation with the BC22 power amp, which will soon be upgraded.

My BC3 was ordered with the standard power supply, but I decided to upgrade the unit to the Galatea. I'm told my new power supply shipped from BC last Thurs., so I should have it early next week. If you want to e-mail me in another week or so, I'll let you know what kind of difference the upgrade made in my system.

To my ears, the BC3/BC22 combo sounds incredible, but Gilbert has been urging me to upgrade the amp. (he stopped just short of calling the BC22 a weak link in my system)

I havn't had any other preamps in this class in my system, so unfortunately I can't offer any opinions on how it compairs to the compitition, but I can't imagine that you would be disappointed with the performance. My BC rep once told me he had a Canadian customer that was using this preamp with Classe amplification. An e-mail to Allan Bhagan of Simply Music might be helpful in assisting you with system matching. You can find Simply Music under "showcase dealers"

I demo'd the BC3 Despina, and although I liked it, I wasn't totally shocked by it's performance....I'm still keeping my BelCanto SEP1. The BC3 is more transparent and revealing, but in my system, I prefered the smoother midrange and slight bloominess in the bass of the SEP1. Both pre's use the same 6922 tubes, yet sound distinctly different. The BC3 sounds solid-state-ish in comparison to the SEP1, which sounds a little creamier. My system consists of vertically biamped Muse 100's (solid state) to SC-IV/a's thru bal. golden refs.

I auditioned the BC3 despina(and BC phono), along with BAT VK 3i, 5i, Audible Illusions M3A, Cary 98, YBA 2 Pre; all with Bc 2 mono's. The AI for me was an EASY choice. The AI had more of the Cary midrange magic, plus the widest stage, with huge dynamic's. The AI had the Bass of the YBA, with NOS Siemens or Mullards the depth of the BC 3, with more palpable images (the BC 3 also had the same NOS tubes), a quieter background than all but the BAT, where it was a toss up. The BAT was a little more neutral than the others, with the BC 3 and YBA having a similar take on it all (the tubes in the BC adding more body than the YBA). But for me, soundsatge, dynamics, PRAT (pace, rythym and timing), phono stage (no remote, not balanced) the AI M3a was the ticket. The Galatea power supply might add a wee bit more bass, and help in the dynamic's department; but if it were close between the 2 maybe it would make a difference for me, but between the Despina and the AI IMHO, it was a rather easy choice.