Which would you choose?


Hello all. I am putting together a second system based upon vintage components. These include a Sony SCD-1 CD/SACD player, a Threshold 3.9/SE power amplifier, and a pair of Alon Phalanx loudspeakers. All cabling is generic, being a combination of Beldin and Canare.

I have narrowed my preamp choices to the following: a Krell KRC-HR or a Pass Labs X-02.

Thus my question, which would you choose?

Many Thanks!
tube_meister
I wouldn't go with a vintage preamp. I had the Krell in my system for a while and I've owned the Pass and neither was all that great when they were current, let alone what you can get for a more modern preamp used. You can make a case for a vintage amp, especially tube, but I was never impressed with vintage preamps.

If you absolutely must go with a vintage SS preamp, I think Rowland and Levinson preamps from that era are much better.
If those were my only two choices, I would lean towards the X-02.

Though I somewhat agree with Zd542, you can do better than either. I've always preferred a tube preamp, but if you require SS, Klyne is the best I've heard, and what I would look for. Rowland, Threshold and Classe also made decent preamps, though I found Levinson to be the worst of the bunch in my system.
I too spent plenty of time with each and didn't like them either. I ended up with a Quicksilver preamp and loved it after an MIT rewire. I think that technology has come way too far. The ML,while better than both was still a bit dark compared to good pre amps of today. What is the budget? Can you afford a used Ayre pre amp? I know the Audible Illusions is a great pre for the money if you're willing to do tubes (not sure how it mates with you amp though). I've yet to hear a SS better the Ayre....even the tube stuff usually isn't better unless you are into the esoteric stuff, but I'd want to hear it in my system first. Good luck.