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Best Balanced Tube Preamplifier

I want to know your opinion about the best balanced tube preamplifier with real tubey sound.
I need balanced inputs and outputs and I´m loocking for tubey sound, not tube preamp. with ss sound.
Some options could be:
Audio Research Ref. 3
Sonic Frontiers Line 3SE+
BAT BK51SE
Unfortunally I can´t compare them so I need your opinion about them or others.
Thanks.
elduende14
electrostatic1
7 posts
 
My vote is for the Modwright 36.5. If you haven't tried one you are missing out. BAT, CAT, what ever, I've demoed them all in my current set-up and I chose the Modright, it's really an amazing preamp.
jwm
918 posts
 
Electrostatic I bet you did not try the best VAC or Aesthetix Preamp
shredder's avatar
shredder
113 posts
 
My Cary SLP-05 is awesome, preferred to the Modwright 36.5, which is also excellent. I have heard but not owned VAC and it is the best I have ever heard. If I had the cash, that is what I would own.
sarcher30
596 posts
 
I recommend the Aesthetix Callisto Signature if you have the rack space. They don't come up used very often though.
allenwright
17 posts
 
The *best* balanced tube preamp is the Vacuum State RTP3D - but it does not have "tuby" colourations - nor does it have SS colourations.

Regards, Allen
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