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Upgrading to Tube; Amp or Preamp

I am currently looking to upgrade my existing system a piece at a time. I currently have a set of Vandersteen 2ce Sigs, VPI mkIII w/RB250 Origin Mod w/Dynavector cartidge, Adcom 565 Preamp, Adcom 555 mkII w/Musical Concept mod, and a Rega Planet CD. I have a rather small listening room, 15x18 w/vaulted ceilings and want to migrate to tube gear. I have heard the Rogue 120 amps and 99 preamp on the Vandersteens and thought they sounded marvelous.

I am into analogue mostly classical, jazz, and some rock. My budget is in the $2000 dollar range and since I want to get as big a bang for the big would it be best to replace the Preamp or Amp. The Adcom gear is a little too bright and the soundstage and imaging are not near (imagine that)what I heard with the Rogue combo. I like the Vandersteens alot but have heard that they get a little too laid back with tube gear. My aim is to put about two to three thousand in my system a year until my wife stops me.

Look forward to the suggestions, oh yeah getting rid of my wife is not an option (ha, ha).
rav1952
rgd
656 posts
 
I presently have a Rogue 66 (not magnum version) mated with a Bryston 4B-ST and I am very happy. I think getting a tube preamp (Rogue is my "bias") is the way to go - keep the SS power of the Adcom but "warm" it up nicely with a tube preamp. While many have tried (not me) a tube amp with a SS preamp it seems to be the general opinion here and elsewhere that a tube preamp/ss amp is a better combo then a ss preamp/tube preamp.Haven't tried a tube amp as my Maggies like current and I can't afford the high powered tube amps that would do the speakers justice...
rgd
656 posts
 
sorry - brainfart - meant to say better combo in a tube pre/ss amp than ss pre/tube amp. You could find a used Rogue for between $700-$900 or spring more money for the 99. If Rogue is really a serious choice you could buy as used 66 and have it upgraded to the Magnum version and still have plenty of money for further tweaks, gear or software. Not sure how the upgraded 66 compares to the 99 but maybe someone else here has made that comparison...
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
If you are primarily listening to vinyl, then definitely look first to your preamp and consider one of the excellent used tube preamps with phonostages that often appear on the used market. The Conrad-Johnson PV-9A or PV-10 each have a very good phono stage, for example, and are overall very good. There are certainly other good options.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Rav1952 It is a misnomer to conclude that tube gear is necessarily too laid back with Vandy's. Depends on the gear. ARC which has a more upfront presentation matches extremely well with Vandersteen, real synergy. Conrad Johnson which is a bit darker probably not as well for most tastes. I would try to audition the Vandy's with ARC as well. I have heard the Rogue's once and at the price appear to be a very solid value but it is always difficult trying to evaluate a component in an unfamiliar system.
fletch
61 posts
 
I would go pre amp first. Try the VAC Standard which you can find under 2K online. You can get excellent deals on the upper end Kora pre amps online too. The only unit I was extremely impressed with at or about the 1K price point was the EAR. Of course these units were reviewed and judged with the gear I used at the time. Your milage may vary. Using a THOR I picked up for well under 4K online a few months back.
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