2. amps-preamps
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Good tube pre amp for a mostly digital system

I am seeking advice from the a'gon community concerning a tube pre for my digital system. Some folks have qued be in to the fact that adding a pre tube will do wonders for my sound.

I have the jeff rowland 501 mono's and the bel canto dac3 as a my pre, a marantz running as a transport. On thing about the rowlands is that they prefer balanced so the tube pre must have balanced outs.

I've looked at the valve audio black widow, the cary slp 05, and the aesthetix calypso. All have balanced outs, well I'm not sure about the valve audio. Any other recommendations? Is adding a tube pre really going to do anything for my sound?

Lastly, being lacking some knowledge in this world, I am confused as to how, if I got a pre amp, I would go about connecting my cd running digitally to my dac then to the pre amp. Would it just be a matter of connecting the dac to the pre or does the cd player also have to be connected to the pre amp?

Lots of questions I know, yet lots to learn! Any help, suggestions, opinions are be welcome.


mariasplunge
mariasplunge OP
174 posts
 
Thnaks fro your responses folks. Kurt, could you key me into what is a CDP. I am not sure what that does and how it connects directly to my amps?
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
Sorry, I abbreviated Compact Disk Player (cdp).

(I forget that sometimes I am writing to people who don't live, eat and breathe Audiogon, and/or Audio Asylum, and may not know all the little shorthand we use.)

I apologize!
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
I started my journey into tubes with a AE-3 Line Level Pre Amp. At that time my system was a follows: Krell FPB 200, Adcom 750 pre amp and Philips 962 digital player. The AE-3 added warmth and detail. I felt I had hit pay dirt. So what’s a good HiFi nut do, add more tubes. I bought a CAL Alpha DAC. Oh my, it’s sounding good. Now that digital brightness is smoothed out. Are we seeing a pattern here? Click on my posted system below. Tubes and more tubes. The darn things are addicting. At first you tell yourself, I can handle this. Then you find yourself searching the web for NOS tubes. Some guy in a tube forum post a thread about his latest discovery, a very rare 1950’s long plate 12x7 that is the cat’s meow. There you go on a quest to find them. You just gotta get a couple because those little glowing glass tubes that hold the key to audio nirvana.

Sorry for going on and on, I am going to see about a NOS 12 step program right after I shave my head.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I agree with Kurt, if you don't need SACD and redbook digital is your only source, grab a AA Capitole II and skip the preamp.
If looking for a balanced tube preamp, the above mentioned BAT's, ARC's and Atma-sphere's can all be added to your list.

FWIW, have you tried the Marantz w/o the Bel Canto DAC?
I would think that cd player would sound better w/o the DAC.
I have a BAT tube preamp with my Jeff Rowland amps (Model 6 monoblocks), and it sounds great. I also have a highly modified Marantz SA-11S1, and don't feel the need for a seperate DAC. I use a preamp because I have 4 sources.

I also love the way the Marantz handles SACD's. If I was rebook cd's only, I'd definitely go after a Audio Aero Capitole and skip the preamp.

John
steuspeed's avatar
steuspeed
501 posts
 
connections are:

CD Transport -> DAC -> Pre-amp -> Amp -> Speakers

Tube pre-amp is a great place to start. The 501's have 4K ohm input impedence. Try and find a pre-amp with 400 ohm output impedence or less on the balanced outputs. This will ensure good matching and volume control function.
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