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Looking For Single Source Tube Preamp

My system is currently a modified Denon 5910 as my only source, a passive Luminous Axiom as my preamp (volume control), B&K Sonata M200 mono amps, and Silverline Sonata 2 Speakers. I enjoy the sound of this set up; however some of the discs I listen to come out sounding a little harsh. I intend on keeping this a single source system. I have never had a tube anywhere in my system. I was thinking of trying a single source tube preamp to possibly smooth things out a little. I have read some threads, but I can't find much on single source tube preamps. Is there anyone out there with a similar set-up to mine that can offer suggestions?

I am aware of the Decware Zsla-1 preamp; however I have not heard it or seen much about it on Audiogon.
kevine
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
Hi,I,m with Nsgarch on this one.Harshness can often be tamed with different cabling.The first thing to try would be solid core copper speaker cable rather than stranded. Solid core lighting cable can sound excellent and is very cheap from electrical suppliers.I know people with very expensive and fantastic sounding systems that use this.Commercial alternatives would be Axon 4 or Kimber.
The next thing to try would be carbon fibre interconnects like Van den Hul the First.These are the last word in smooth,sweet sound without loss of detail.

JT
jimd
50 posts
 
The Musical Design SP-2B is single tube design preamp. Very nice, very reasonable, and fully upgradable. There are two on Audiogon right now. Jim
prpixel
876 posts
 
I'm also in agreement with Nsgarch. Cables or room treatments might be the ticket.

Good luck,
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Kevin, check out this thread:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1140553317&read&3&zzlCurriemt11&&

It's a report of a CDP shootout that includes a modified Denon 5910. Their main criticism was some "graininess".
Imagine!

.
kevine OP
38 posts
 
I use the Paul Speltz Ant-Cables to my Speakers, which are solid core speaker wires. I have VeraStarr silver reference interconnects. My Denon player has the ALP clock in it with other modifications done by Hot Rod Audio (VeraStarr). I ended up with this player because my wife and I watch a lot of movies, and Denon has excellent video. It was a tradeoff. She wanted the Denon. I told her that the only way I would get the Denon was if it was Modded. As stated earlier, I do enjoy the sound of my system. Maybe when I said it sounded a little harsh, I might have meant there was glare or brightness to the sound on some discs. I just thought that a tube would smooth out the sound some. The Silverline speakers are very revealing and I had heard that they work very well with a tube setup.
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