Music First Audio Passive Magnetic Preamplifiers?

Clio09 i believe you are correct air oall points. Here is the response I received from Harry at MFA/S&B in response to N37000's post;

Thank you for your message.
 
Yes, the S&B TVCU is still available. This uses a more basic transformer than the TX102 used in the MFA Classic Preamplifier, but it's performance is still very good. We also offer this with the TX102 transformer upgrade at £1100.00 GBP.
 
We do not supply our TX102 transformers to any other other companies and we have not done so for at least five years. Therefore, either this person is mistaken or the transformers are not genuine.
 
I hope this helps.
 
Many thanks and very best regards
 
Harry

Agear it is pretty cool that we ran nearly the same comparisons with some fairly esoteric gear. What variant of the Concert Fidelity were you listening to and where did you perform the testing with the 3 units ARC Anniversary, Concert Fidelity and TRL? 

What we heard with these units vs the GTP4 did not leave much room for interpretation. It (GTP4) simply fell by the wayside, so i find it all the more iteresting that you say the mid level preamp was better than the CF and the ARC. 

Interestingly enough, if memory serves, i liked my former GTP2 (when paul used 3 paralleled 6sn7 tubes per channel) more than the GTP4 which I am pretty sure is using the 6AS7 tubes.

I found that Pre (GTP4) to be a bit soft and lacking in weight and force. Interestingly I noted a lack of transient or leading edge snap with the GTP4. I say interesting because it lends creedance to something written by Bruce Rozenblit of Transcendent Audio fame in which he described his NOT choosing that particular tube (6AS7) for his OTL amps for that very reason. He stated that with the 6AS7 he found it lacked the ability to produce the leading edge transient satisfactorily quote, "Tests were run with the 6AS7 and it was found to be unable to produce the sharp transient attack required for the best performance". 

Now having written this, I have not heard the ~5k Dude and i have no idea what tube compliment it uses. Perhaps it is better than the GTP4.., but for roughly $30k less it probably should not be :)

Best regards

I have the Bent Tap X, and it is one of the most transparent passive I have heard with flexibility no other passive can match. It was about $2000 USD for the 6 input version. It still doesn't beat going directly from my DAC to amp, but gets it pretty close. Too bad it is now out of production.

I have had the privilege to work with Masa Tsuda and Hajime Sato at THE SHOW in Las Vegas this year and at last years RMAF. I'll also be working with them at THE SHOW Newport. So I've spent a lot of time with the Concert Fidelity components (and as a side note I use the Silicon Arts Design trio of components).

Most who know me and my preferences know that I dislike active line stages. I've owned my share of them (Cary, Joule, Rowland, TRL) and had a number pass through my system that were loaned to me to audition. My end preference was to go the passive route. I've owned an S&B TX 102 MkI passive built for me by Kevin Carter, I built my own using Slagle autoformers, and I have the Lightspeed attenuator. About the only thing that rivals the purity of a well designed passive is a well designed zero gain active buffered preamp, of which I own The Truth from Ed Schilling at the Horn Shoppe and the Silicon Arts Design which uses some trickle down technology from the CF-080 (including the same volume control).

However, I will say that the CF-080 is really in another league when it comes to active line stages. Of course, it's price should qualify it as such, but we all know price isn't the whole story. The electronic volume control eliminates unnecessary contacts, wipers, and switches from the signal path. The signal path itself is extremely short, such that the board is mounted on the inside back plate of the chassis and tubes are accessed from the rear panel on the preamp. Masa Tsuda is all about simplicity in his designs (the DAC is NOS) and his designs are quite creative (his solid state amps are a good example). This is definitely one active line stage I can live with. I could certainly regurgitate all the superlatives to describe my listening impressions, but suffice it to say I've been tempted and just may have to pull the trigger on one come June.

Exactly Clio09, best active line stage I have listened to to-date :)