best preamp ever - cost is no object

Norm,
The original thread was started on 3-14-06, if Aspera has not purchased or at least tried a number of the recommended candidates by now then he's obviously not using his system enough.

To answer the original question:

Passive: Any high quality TVC (Transformer Volume Control). Since the original post asked ever = the ultimate expression of this design the Seamless Interface Electro-Acoustique's Big-Dog (My own design and NO LONGER AVAILABLE....not even for a cold $25K!)

Solid-State: Technik Avant Garde Model One Ultimate version (If you can find one)

Tube: Tempo Electric 1.1 with Dual outboard power supplies or any Authur Loesch design. My favorite is the one based on the awesome 6C45Pi high gain super-tube.

This thread is no longer high-jacked but has been set free to fly again!

Carlos,

I have even posted an inquiry about the Tempo. Recently, I received another email from them saying that the first production units would be available in Sept. It sounds like you must have experience with the early prototype units. I once had the Loesch solid state TAG preamp. It was very good but hard to use as digital was too loud at the lowest levels on the volume control and vinyl required nearly full gain. I believe the guy who bought it still has it and loves it.

I suspect since you mention the 6C45Pi tube that you must know there are difference among Soviet era tubes. I have many 6N1Ps that sound quite different. I no longer use the tube preamp that used them, but hey I retain the better than 1000 tubes I have as a good investment.

I don't remember your coming on so strongly in our earlier conversations, but I really did think your passive Big Dog was the best passive unit I had tried.

At last, civility returns to the 'gon.

My phono stage is a custom unit from Experience Music that uses a step up xformer and 2 stages of 6C45 with an LCR RIAA in between. quite nice.

Professor Norm,
No hard feelings. I'm sorry that I came on so strong but on this forum if you do not come strong then you get run over by people just looking to deliver a beating.

As I mentioned in my previous post, before you started advocating magic pebbles and teleportation, I held your opinion at the highest level. But I have to be honest with you; the placebo affect of those tweaks is hard for me to swallow as a person of science.

I think that I know what kind of signal processing is used on your H-CAT and if I'm correct then I can see why you have come to love it. I'm using a more complex implementation of the same concept in my reference system and enjoy what it does for the presentation.

If you come down to Houston and have some free time let me know, I would like to host you for an evening of listening and audio chat.

Carlos, it is not the case that I am advocating the teleportation tweak or Magic Pebbles. I found a benefit from the teleportation tweak and with regards to the Magic Pebbles, initially heard nothing, then with a quite different placement found great benefit, and finally with the new H-Cat found I could no longer use them.

I know the effects of perceptual bias as well as the liabilities of DBTesting. I also know that it works many ways with people who don't want to hear anything less likely to hear one. But as I have said, I am seeking accurate and thrilling music reproduction, and will leave it up to those with more circuit knowledge to innovate. If I hear a demonstration of a tweak or component and it moves me toward greater realism, and if I can afford it, I will buy it.

My biggest problem with some on Audiogon is that they think they know all there is to science. Since there have been many scientific advancements since I got my degree in 1961 and when you got yours, I cannot understand why you would think what we know now is all there is to know. But even more importantly, if you don't try things that others find beneficial, how will you ever know that our understanding falls short. I encourage open-mindedness, as I know too often science gets into a set paradigm for years only to have some finding shake it up.

I don't teach any natural science, but science can be used effectively on social science issues and I teach the scientific method at both undergraduate and graduate levels. I was one of the very first political scientists to do so as I was advantaged by my science majors in undergraduate school.

Now that I am retired, I can venture to Houston more often. I hope to be down soon to hear Fred's Acapellas. You are invited to come up here also. I have no tube equipment now, however.