2. amps-preamps
  3. 1221748171

What is the best tube pre for $350 used? HF detail

Anyone can get a great sounding tube preamp for $6000, if you have the money to blow, have the ears to tell a difference, and care enough to spend that much. Same thing with $3000 or $1000. Let's lower the bar as far as it will go and see what gets under it. I am looking for a tube preamp with the best soundstage and high/mid frequency detail possible for the $300-350 price range. A little bright is OK. Upgrading the tubes/mods later is OK. In that price range I have found Audioresearch, LA audio, Amc, Conrad Johnson, YA audio(maybe). Golden tube is out because I can't afford to throw it away when it inevitably breaks. Out of those or any others, what do you think can yield the best soundstage and upper freq detail?

Thanks!
atlanticpro
jdombrow
371 posts
 
Bottlehead Foreplay III
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Possibly something by Eastern Electric.
tweak1
3,570 posts
 
Google Pacific Valve Company. They have lots of reasonably priced equip- NEW, too!
mechans
3,048 posts
 
The Cary brand known as AES I forget what the letters mean. The original AE-3 pre-amp sold as a kit or manufactured for you beats the living daylights out of any other preamp I ever owned and is just about the best I have heard. They cost an astonishing $300-$350 used. They only make the modded up DJH signature now which is about 3-4 times as much. The plain one sounds as good as the modded one so try to get a plain.
The unit uses two tubes both 6SN7s and has one big trafo. Looks like a toy plays like a big city orchestra.
I was stunned, my buddy a preamp designer himself said WTF that is Scary good. No joke it's pieces like this that makes sense that will make it through the coming financial storm
The only caveat I have is that I collect 6SN7s and have been using some of the more desirable ones around. You don't need the most difficult to get or the most expensive. However I would invest in a good (decent) pair if I were you. Afterall you just saved thousands on the pre!
atlanticpro OP
10 posts
 
Thanks a bunch guys. Will look into these. The Cary in particular sounds like a winner.
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