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What's your "diminishing returns" preamp choice?

What preamp would you consider is at the point of diminishing returns for you? I realize this is a vague and subjective question, but I think it will be interesting to hear the answers.

Of course, a $10,000 preamp will (probably) sound better than a $1,000 preamp but everyone has a different point at which they feel they have spent enough money. In some cases, one may feel that there isn't a significant difference between a $2k piece and a $10k piece to justify such a purchase.

I've noticed that there are some gems in the audio world that defy their price point. For instance, Apogee Centaurs, Halfer 9505 etc. I've always found such pieces fascinating.
woofer72
roscoeiii's avatar
roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 
It took a $2000+ preamp (Musical Fidelity kW) to give me what I felt combined the best aspects of the passive (detail) and active (bass impact, dynamics, oomph) preamps I'd tried previously. Prior to that preamp, there were more tradeoffs that had to be made in my consideration.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,834 posts
 
Both! You can't see the forest through the trees?

These are both in reference to a source with a weak tube output stage, geeeeish!!

And don't even come into play if the source has a good low solid state output impedance.

I can see forests pretty well and also am pretty good at contradictions. Since you did write both statements I accept that you believe both of them but just so you know, if that is true it is also true that you are contradicting yourself.

Perhaps it would help if you defined what is meant by a 'weak tube output stage' (since tubes can easily drive headphones if set up properly; we can do it with our UV-1 preamp) and also what you mean by a 'good low solid state output impedance' as clearly Oppo, Wadia, dcS and others apparently do not qualify. I am assuming you mean 'output impedance', perhaps you have some numbers?
wolf_garcia
6,704 posts
 
I use an "old and no longer available" Kavent S-33 dual mono balanced preamp which is the same damn thing as a Vincent SA-91 (even says that on a circuit board) but re-branded for reasons I don't remember…it sounds amazing (has an isolated dual mono power supply in it's own 3rd of the case) and will stay in my system until it dies and I can't find anybody to fix it, because it likely has zero re-sale value anyway. I could find a different sounding preamp, or a tube preamp, but a better sounding preamp? Doubtful, but I don't seem to care anyway…I do use a tube power amp with it and somehow this combo does the job (also a SS REL sub driven by the tube amp…is that cheating?)
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Whatever Ralph, believe what you want.
dsper
663 posts
 
I am not an expert like the rest of the folks who are posting but would say that a preamp shopper needs to try a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium.

Hand wired, dual momo, many available replacement tubes, etc., etc. for $3K new.

this is the best my system has sounded - Maggie 3.6 and DWM bass panel, Ric Schultz modified Oppo 105, and W4S amp.

Yea, I know it is my current preamp!

Enjoy the journey!
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