Dodd preamp vs. McCormack RLD-1 preamp

Wanted to add my experience with the Dodd pre.

Bought it after reading threads by Mrjstart and others. Compared the Dodd with my Aud. Illusions L2 and modded Blue Circle 21.1. The amp was the RWA 30.2. I agree that the RWA does much better with a pre. (BTW, I have Merlin TSM-MMe's). I thought the Dodd bettered the other pres in most every respect. I was very pleased with the Dodd...and it looks great.

Also tried these pres with my McCormack with same result...Dodd was better. And RWA bettered the MC.

Then I got a Pass Aleph J from another A'gon member, and that amp with the Dodd made my system. I now have my "poor-man's-reference" system. The RWA and Dodd were excellent...the Aleph J with Dodd even better. The Dodd and Aleph also bettered my Plinius 8200 MKII.

While the Dodd/Aleph combo is terrific...I have one problem with the Pass amp. It runs quite hot so that may be a problem for my small apartment in Florida. So I am getting my Edge G4 amp upgraded and I hope the Dodd/Edge combo comes close to the Dodd/Aleph J system (now in my CT place).

Getting back to the Dodd pre with tha Aleph J, friends can't get over the sound from the Merlins. My daugher walks into my den while I'm listening to classical guitar, and stops in her tracks...she thought she was in a recording studio.

GSherwood, we have similar systems. I have the Dodd and Merlin TSM-MMe's as well. For amps, i am using VAC 70/70 Monoblocs. The clarity and detail with this combo is quite remarkable.

Interesting how many folks are using Dodd with Merlins. I wonder what the connection is? Glenn, great SS is almost always Class A, and Class A is always hot, but the J really isn't too bad, you should have felt the Aleph 3. At least you can get buy with 30 watts:)

Pubul,

I think there are only a handful of us using Dodd & Merlins, and don't really think there is any magic here. Both pieces tend to be very transparent and when any good transparent gear is used together, it tends to be synergistic. The trouble in many systems is that by constantly trying to offset flaws in one piece with opposite flaws in another, many get away from a long term truer solution; a transparent system. IMO the closer you get to SOTA, the more transparent the gear is, and that's part of why diminishing returns set in at the very top $$$ end of the spectrum. Cheers,
Spencer
PS: If new fees continue, see you on Audioasylum.

Spencer, I totally agree on the importance on neutrality/transparency to the source as the guiding principle for building a system - otherwise you end up with mix and match synergies that is more like a bandaid approach to getting good sound and you end up having to take a new system approach when you change pieces and what "helped" in one system may too much or too little woth a new component. I think the Dodd and Merlin (and the CAT gear) follow the principle of basic neutrality without too much flavor, in either case if you need mathcing colorations neither may seem to work just right, but in combination they make for a very good pairing indeed. I notice there are now at least 4 Dodd/Merlin pairings (including us) which seems like a lot given there can't be that many Dodd sold yet. Neutrality also seems to be one of the secrets to the Atma/Merlin, CAT/Merlin, and Berning/Merlin combos - none are overtly colored and all highly resolving while musical. Paul.