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Help - Need Preamp under 5K for Class D amps

I’ve been looking at preamps for some time now and now that I’ve finally taken delivery of some audiophile quality speakers it time to find this device.
My current setup is as follows:

Line Arrays in the form of AV123 LS-6’s driven by a pair of Nuforce 9 SEV2’s. No pre in the signal path. Source is a Slim devices Transporter. All files EAC ripped FLAC lossless compression.
AC services:
VH-Audio power cords service the Nuforce’s in Flavor 4 version as well as the Power conditioner. Dedicated circuit utilizing a Furutech outlet and Furutech silver IEC connectors, Furutech gold plugs on the opposite end on power cords except on the Transporter end where I use a Oyaide 079.

Adona Rack and a considerable amount of room treatments.

So what I hear while sitting on the couch is a pretty resolving system with pinpoint imaging, a decent amount of bloom, dynamics galore and a generally pleasing sound except… I’m not quite where I want to be in terms of just being able to relax into the music. I’d like a bit more air, or bloom or warmth? Sorry I don’t have the right description but perhaps the fact that I have NO pre is the problem in general. Overall sound seems to be a bit clinical. Maybe that’s the word.

This is why I ask the help of my audiophile brothers and sisters here. Running my MAC RCA Palladiums’ doesn’t improve this much over the balanced cables I own which are DH-Labs DIYers. Having a home theatre system in tow that utilizes the Nuforce’s as well I find myself constantly moving interconnect cables which is annoying at best.

I’ve been looking at Dan’s Modwright 36.5 and auditioned one from a fellow Audiogon seller. I couldn’t get a handle on it’s attributes from that audition – too different a system not to mention that I didn’t like what I was hearing from his setup. Others pre’s I’ve been interested in are as follows:

Parasound Halo JC-2 – No tubes but does that really matter?
Aesthetix Calypso
Audio Horizons 2.1
Modwright 36.5
Other?

Thanks for your advice.
128x128desalvo55
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,546 posts
 
No info on the Tube Research Labs website. Just call Paul. He hand makes these and stands behind them. Also, when you buy from Paul he will always update your unit as changes are made.

Not as pretty looking as the Eklipse, but its the sound that matters.

Bill
Post removed 
vicdamone
850 posts
 
It sounds like your hearing the preamps, and while you enjoy their initial addition to the presentation your hopelessly a transparency junkie. You might try a tubed output stage on your source. IMO getting the preamp off the AC grid is key to switching amplifiers. Unfortunately there's not much out there and what there is can be pricey.
tweak1
3,680 posts
 
First play with speaker positioning. In the wrong spot speakers will not open up. Sometimes you only need to move them a half inch. Also, are you biwiring or biamping... are the amps balanced?

Biamping, and running balanced (when your entire sysytem is) will bring more air.

Cables need to be upgraded!
desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
Currently I don't have a preamp to listen to other than when I connect to my Onkyo which sucks the life out of my music. If I were to get off the AC grid I would go with Dodd which is a possibility cause if there's one thing I learned after all these years in this hobby, it's paying close attention to the AC end of things.

If there isn't so much as a pic of the "Dude" it's a hard sell with the wife unit and myself!

Still looking but many excellent recommendations. I like that Audio Eklipse unit (at least by looks and from what I read) as well as the Audio Horizon. What about BAT?
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