Tube Preamps...I'm sold

Posbwp555, I heard the same info. but Bart you have to take into account other gear along with synergy issues and we as individuals prefer. different sound. I have been communicating with him also mainly because he's another audio lover like the rest of us. He actually had the same speakers as me (Eggleston Andra 2's but recently replaced them with Wilson MAXX 2's) Orrin had the same pre as me (ARC Ref3 but is now selling it, replaced with the Shindo product) He got a Cat amp recently which was on my short list so I was wanting to know what his thoughts were, he told me the the ARC sounded broken compared to the Shindo, what ever that means.

This is a crazy hobby and what I have found is system matching some times shows different characteristics of specific gear. The Arc is a great pre. but is it the "BEST" no, there will never be the best. I bought a Supratek Sauv. that I'm breaking-in and it defently is different than the Arc. sound. A friend who has heard my system prefers the Supratek in it over the ARC, it is different and so far I am really enjoying it, is it better? I will find out later in the Fall when I put my Arc back in, I believe it will only be differenes that I may prefer but not better.

If any of you folks know anything about T/P's : Stop wasting your bucks and find a pristine AR SP 10- MK II for a tad under 3K and start with one of the classics that is still available. Buy it , upgrade it (perhaps) and be prepaired to be satisified. Its like having Reita Hayworth over for a smoke. Beauty that doesn't quit.

crem1, I apologize but what is a T/P?

Tooob : Sorry T/P > Tube Preamp. Thanks for reading and responding.

Crem1: Your advice is good for someone totally focused on LP playback. Unfortunately, the SP-10 as a line stage for other sources is mediocre at best. Tubed line stage performance has come a long long way since then.

I ran with the SP-10 II for 8 years from the mid 80s-90s and loved it. But the LS5/PH2 pair that replaced it was far far beyond the SP-10 for both LPs and CDs. Finally CD playback was tolerable! And even though the PH2 was solid state, this with the LS5 had the incredible dimensionality of the SP-10 but with far more extended frequency extremes and without the noise level. I never would have believed the PH2 could do this ..... but it did.

Steve Huntley at GNSC does some incredible rework for the SP-10 but this can be costly when you're all done. I cannot imagine tolerating the stock SP-10's weaknesses after hearing the many refinements in products over the last 10 years. But for LPs anyway, the GNSC SP-10 rework is a totally different sonic performer altogether. I know a vinyl guru in Canada who has one and he loves it.

Just recently I got an ARC MCP-33 to support multiple arms/cartridges. The MCP-33 came out after the SP-10 to support MCs with other ARC preamps like the SP-8 and SP-6 which only supported MM cartridges. I understand that the MCP-33 and SP-10 have very similar MC input design.

After some major parts updates and IEC connector to this MCP-33, the performance is outstanding. I don't know how much improvement was gained by the various Dynamicaps and Vishay resistors, but changing from a stock power cable to something like a Stealth Dream power cable is HUGE. This alone should be done to all older tube gear with attached power cables. And this modified MCP-33 is very quiet .... something I was concerned about when I took on this MCP-33 modification project.

I have been playing with this MCP-33 into an Aesthetix Io Signature set at 56db gain....and comparing to the Io Sig. on its own at 68 db gain. Both units render the 3D of the music incredibly well. But it is clear there are hints of the SP-10's rolled-off frequency extremes, primarily in the bass, with the MCP-33. Perhaps beefing up the power supply would help things here. I might just have Steve Huntley take a look at this one of these days.

For someone that has a decent full-function preamp but perhaps does not have enough gain for their favorite MC cartridge, or they are looking to bring on some tube magic to their system, an MCP-33, RAM RM-4 or Counterpoint SA2 might be a perfect and less costly solution. Unfortunately the added cost of an IC and a PC, both must be at the top of their class, takes the price quite high. And then the quest for the perfect set of tubes begins and this too can add up. Top-tier performance does not come cheap.

John