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Please suggest good balanced Preamp


I woould like to get your experiences with and recomendadtions for balanced preamp with XLR input/output and possiblly balanced design from input to output. Cost around $3500 or less (used or new) would be good. Less is better. My criterias are :
1. Extreme transparency.
2. Extreme low noise. S/N > 100 dB.
3. Phono is not required but I have no objection if it has phono.
4. Minimum one pair of XLR input and one pair of XLR outputs.
5. Remote will be good but I can compromise a remote for the quality of the preamp.
6. Tube (preferable) or SS

I tend to prefer tube preamp over SS, but very good SS pre is not out of question. I am too lazy in tube rolling business and like to stick to the stock tubes that comes with the pre from the manufacturer. I know, I will miss the best capability by not rolling tubes. But I don't want to fill up my house with tubes.

Few recomendadtions I have received are:
ARC Ref 3 (out of my price range)
Ayre K1xe (little over my budget even used)
Pass Labs XP10 (this may be within my budget if used)
McCormack VRE-1 ( model ??, have not seen in used market)
VTL 7.5 (way over my budget even used)
Atma Sphere MP-1 (also costly)
Asthetix Calypso (many complains very noisy, does not fit my criteria).

What can you suggest for an exceptional balanced tube preamp of similar caliber of preamps mentioned above within my budget ?
Thanks,
topmostaudio
2005fan
2 posts
 
Would you describe type of music you listen most? What other equipment you have? I suggest find a set of songs you like most and listen most. Use that set of music when you try out different pre-amp. You would be able to tell one does more details or better stage than the other. With that, finding the characteristics are more imprtant to you.

I found Conrad Johnson 16LS is great and end up with ART2. I think CJ is great for vocal music. I do not care about deep strong bass or find the stage from a orchestra. None the less, 16LS or ART2 perform above average all around.
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atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,841 posts
 
Tvad is absolutely correct without reservation.
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,170 posts
 
One Preamp that just came out that shoots Way above average and has several innovations is a company that for years was doing all the PS audio mods Cullen engineering
Better known as Wyred 4 Sound. I have their ST 250- amp
which replaced my Edge G-4 amp which was very good.
Their New Preamp may be even Better.It is pure passive with a twist it uses over 147,000 Uf of capacitance just for the power supply,with -0 capacitors in the signal path
and it is Buffered to match whatever Impedance is coming in
which was the biggest drawback of passive preamps in the past and is fully balanced input to output not like many that just have xlr jacks.This preamp has a very natural tone with a natural warmth,and does some things better than several of the $4-6k preamps I have owned it images spot on, even at low volumes the performers
are identifiable.Not many preamps can do this well symphony or rock and roll. By selling direct I found out you save at least 50%, for when you go to a store there is a solid
50 point+ margin I am a 30 year + Audiophile and finding the best for my money is now what it is all about.
The Parts quality is superb ,all Nichicons best Bipolor capacitors, the volume is totally digitally controlled -out of the circuit and each channel has matched Dale Vishay resistors,
the best national semiconductors opamps,and pair matched Toshiba f.e.ts, and a sizable Torroidial transformer and many proprietary tweaks went into this design.If I stand behind it it has to be good for I have had systems of at least $50k in the past !
jtwrace's avatar
jtwrace
443 posts
 
I would also consider the K&K Audio.
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