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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
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
That's more like it. You can help the burn in process by leaving all equipment powered up 24/7, and even leave the system playing with a disc on repeat. I'm burning in a new preamp now. I just have the Ayre/Cardas disc on repeat when I'm not listening to the system. I can even turn the amps off, because they are already burned in, and I don't have to hear those test tones. :)

However, yes, listening to your sonic desires, I would say that a tube preamp is in your future. Keep us posted.

Cheers,
John
mariasplunge OP
174 posts
 
Thanks john for your time and all on this thread. I'll let you know how things progress down the road.

Thanks again.
jc51373
528 posts
 
I have a brand new VTL 5.5 and it has brought my system to a whole new level of detail and resolution. VTL is a great product, service is very good from the company, albeit very slow.
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teeball
16 posts
 
Hi Maria, I am currently auditioning an Audio Valve tube preamp in place of a lexicon MC-12B pre-pro, and the difference between the two is quite noticeable. The audio valve eklipse is a 2 ch. preamp, and it seems to be a fantastic pre. Thats Audio Valve, not valve audio. Although that is probably a fine piece as well. Anyway, i beleive i will be going with the A tube preamp for 2 ch. listening only as i will keep the lexicon for video in which it does a fantastic job with. Good luck.
teeball.
posbwp555
72 posts
 
Hello all,

This is one of the most positive, congenial and helpful (good spirited) threads I have ever read. This hobby is so starved for female participation that guys do backflips trying to assist a lady in distress. I am pretty sure the CAT ULT MK2 would be in this discussion if not for the balanced output disqualifier. I am not sure why that is a serious disqualification (they do make audiophile IC adapters that shouldn't degrade the sound much). At any rate, from immense tube rolling in the CAT, I have found that the CAT can be tuned to taste with carefule tube selection. It can be moved from hard and aggressive to overly euphonic and all points between. It is a very transparent product with better dynamics, bass and high end extension than I have heard from other tubed pres.
The advantage that tubes provide over solid state is that the sound can be adjusted to taste. Another point is that
people like variety. You have that with a simple tube swap. No matter how good your solid state system sounds, it probably will become stale over time. People wonder why in the world would a guy cheat on his gorgeous super model wife? People like variety.

Bart
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