Audio Horizons TP 2.0 Preamplifier

My unit has about 20 hours on it now. I am listening through the balanced outputs. I am also using solid state amp Aragon 8008Bbb and wanting to experiment with tubes for the first time. This is a very preliminary impression. The AH pre in black is more attractive looking and solid than I thought it would be from the pictures. It has has a very pleasant sound with perhaps a very subtle layer of grunge removed compared to the SS pre Aragon 28K. Also the soundstage seems a bit deeper and more three dimensional perhaps with more air around the instruments and sounds seem more clearly placed. The AH has has a fabulous sparkle on some pieces. So far The amount of detail, and sound stage width seem similar to my SS but the AH seems slightly more natural. Looking forward to doing more listening this evening. So far so good but it is subtle.
Joe

Grannyring, curious about the comparison CJ, to AH if you had the chance?

At 40 hours, it is no longer subtle - the preamp is developing a gorgeous sound - details later. Thank you all for recommending that I give the AH a listen.

Joseph has asked me to comment on two matters: the hole gamajo mentions marked chssis ground, and a ground hum problem some owners, including gamajo, have.

Gamajo is correct: the chassis ground is there to act as a chassis ground when the two tube phono stage is introduced, either as an internal option or as a stand alone, some time in April.

As for the open ground hum gamajo and some others have experienced, this occurs when for some reason the ground carried by the ground plug of the power cord is rendered discontinuous from the AC outlet through the power conditioner or surge protector, to the amplifier and preamplifier. This means the system does not carry a continuous ground. If one is using the balanced out, the balanced IC will carry this ground between the preamp and the amp as the third wire in the IC, but if one is using the single ended outputs, the RCA IC's only have hot and neutral, and will not. One must thus create an external ground to ground the preamp chassis to the amp chassis.

We hope to solve this problem with a rear panel switch in future models.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

It looks as though the preamp is finally drawing a larger, much deserved recognition.

Gammajo and Ralphcast, congratulations and enjoy.