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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
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.
mariasplunge OP
174 posts
 
Thanks everybody for the responses. NOS twelve step it is. It seems everyday I breath just a bit more of the audio nut concoction. Powerful stuff.

No I have not tried the marantz without the DAC. Fine suggestion, believe I will try that. In terms of the A A capitole, I did some research and everthing I read sounds great. I guess my concern would be limiting my options by not having a pre amp because, I would like a tuner and a turntable. Now I realize the A A capitole has a line stage built into it but unfortunately those are hard to find. The one on A'gon right now does not have the line stage.

So two questions, and other cd player with a line stage build into it that can hook directly to my Rowlands, or does anyone have opinions on how the A A capitole sounds plugged into a pre amp?

Also steuspeed, any suggestions of tubed pre's that are 400 ohn output impedence or less?

And of course any comments or opinions. This is great for me so I appreciate your time.
chazzbo
1,007 posts
 
Surprised nobody mentioned Audible Illusion given it's sales and mpoularity as a loid glass pre.Depoends a lot on how much "bloom" you want.Some tube pre's dont' sound very "tubey" any m,ore.More and more solid state has attributes of tube gear )warmth,holography,more natural midrange) but tube gear (especially pre's) have more extended frequency extremes and tigher,punchier bass.I would say that in poast with a tarde off for noise that Conrad Johnson would give most "tube sound" (maybe certain AR models) but now CJ is less noisy and has better overall sound (bass not as "loose").You need to read about various pre's.But I think TVAD is right you will get different sound but if you expect "Nirvana" in a box you might not get it.Yet still might be good move.Alternately the better op amps in some digital players means that forgoing pre might be your ticket.Many audiophiles want sound of source and amp and nothing from pre,a pre that has no signature,Some go with passives but because they have constricte dynamics in general I am not one of them.So many models out there do your research and try to listen when and where you can.If you go to ww.6moons.com the not cheap Supratek will be their editors choice (I liek thier Blue Moon awards).Stereophiles buying guide gives so many choices it just shows what's out there not narrowing down choices.Also ask at Audio Advisor.Features,the difference in what tubes are used (poular EL34's which I use excell in mids.KT88's have more dynamic kick and bass control etc).Like I said some want not to hear it at all but to me I's say listenm to CJ,AR,neutral BAT,bang for buck Rogue or Modwright,Audible Illusions etc could take thoguht and time to listen.But because many feel it's signature not just function is the "heart of the system" when matched soudn wise with your gear and your ears the quest can be fun and really pay off.
Chazz
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Chazz, keep in mind that Mariasplunge is looking for balanced outputs for her Rowland amps. I think this would leave out CJ, AI, Hovland, Rogue, and many other tube preamps.

Mariasplunge, if you're thinking about a tuner and a turntable down the road, I would think that you would want a preamp. Maybe even a preamp with a built in phono stage, like the Aesthetix Janus. The Janus is similar to the highly rated Calypso line stage, but has a rendition of the Aesthetix Rhea phono preamp built in. I'm not saying that you have to get a preamp with a built in phono stage, but if you are thinking of getting a turntable, I would recommend getting a preamp, and a phono stage is another consideration. You'll have to decide if you want a preamp with an internal phono stage or have a seperate phono stage. You cannot just plug a turntable into any line input. This is something you should consider.

Either way, if you are considering additions in the future, I'd ditch the Bel Canto DAC/preamp and try running the Marantz through a nice tube preamp. The AA is the only unit that I would run straight into SS amps. I have to have tubes somewhere in the chain. :)

BTW, you can't run the Marantz straight into the Rowland's, you must have some kind of a volume control (preamp). I just think the Marantz DAC's will sound better than the Bel Canto's. They do to me anyway. Can you use the Bel Canto as a preamp only? Or do you have to use the DAC section too?

John
mariasplunge OP
174 posts
 
John,
Thanks for the info. So I checked out the BAT's. Some of them have a phono stage however, some have told me that they are too trnasparent and in mostly digital system like mine, the BAT's might not add that warmth.

Secondly, the Cary SL-05, which was my first choice, must now take the back seat due to the fact that it has no phono stage. so audio research except for front end gear, I really don't find it appealing asthetically.

So the janus possibly, what else is there? I'll try the marantz hooked directly to a pre once I get one. Any other suggestions for players that function well with tube pre's.

Also, is what I have heard of the BAT true, too transparent. Anyone with expreience with these.

Cheers
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