Preamp match for Mccormack DNA-125

I use ARC LS-15 with my DNA-125. My friend uses Sonic Frontiers Line-1. Both sound great with this amp. Both are reliable preamps with excellent sonics. Best of luck.

Whatever you do, get one with a finely stepped volume attenuator becasue the McCormack can go postal on gain in a hurry if you don't. If a remote is not a must, try a Herron VTSP-1A/166. A perfect match, IMHO.

I use a TAD-150 Signature with my 125 (stock) and I love it. Has everyting you are looking for except the price tag. Used 700 to 850 or so, new $1595 when they are in stock but Paul at Bizzy Bee won't have new ones again till Summer? Amazing for the money and has a decent phono stage. Sounds great.Throws an unbelieveable soundstage!

Note to Rwwear: Thanks for your caution, but you are just a little off-base. Your comment refers to the original amps (DNA-0.5, -1, and -2), not the current DNA-125, 225, or 500. The original amps had protection circuitry that was intended to sense potentially damaging DC levels, but could be triggered by high levels of low-frequency noise. This happened rarely, but I have seen it caused by a variety of tube preamps. A simple adjustment will fix this. The newer DNA amps are designed differently and are not sensitive to DC or low-frequency noise.

4yanx's comment is right on - tube preamps tend to run at rather high gain, so a high-resolution volume control makes life a whole lot easier.

Best regards,

Steve McCormack
www.SMcAudio.com

Actually, I did have a problem with DC leakage/amp shutdown with a 0.5/3i combo. BAT diagnosed it as a bad resistor, fixed it in 24 hrs and I had it back in about 4 days total. Never had the problem again. And a hearty re-inforcement with the gain matching comments. I sold a CAT SL-1 MK2 that succeeded the BAT I had cause the stepped gain attenuator could not be properly "fine tuned".