Music First Audio Passive Magnetic Preamplifiers?

There seems to be some persistent confusion regarding the TRL "Reference" pre-amp (aka GTP-4). No participant in this thread, including myself, has heard it. Paul W. said the last one he made was in the late was in the late 90s. It was a two chassis number where the pre-amp section weighed in at 90 lbs and the power supply weighed 140 lbs. He did make several non-reference but upper level pre-amps from 2000-2, including two multi-channel pres for home theater applications, and another 2-3 that were specifically designed to be used with the Magico 3s. The later entity used the 6080s due to the requirements of the Magico x-overs and were a flawed entity according to Paul. That is what your uncle bought and sold Don.

As for comparisons, the only person who owns an actual Reference TRL pre-amp (circa 1994) has a top dollar system with state of the art conditioning technology in tow. He has compared the GTP-4 to many pre-amps, including the CF-080, Light Speed Attenuator, The Truth, etc. It was a massacre. Everything else "sounded like HiFi." The only pre-amp to better the GTP-4 in his system is the current generation Dude. It smoked it.

The Dude abides.

No disrespect to Agear, but anytime one uses words like "massacre" and "everything else 'sounded like HiFi'" is suspect. What may sound great in one system may not sound so good in another. At least, that's been my experience.

Agear (Brian Weitzel / Jack Seaton) it's ok... I know you want to support you brother Paul but to say that his 35k GTP4 was a mistake now that others have supported my findings is going to tick a lot of customers of that unit off.

Either way, we all have our own tastes and likes. For me..., the MFA and CF units smoked the TRL GTP4 which according to Paul (or rather what youve reported  your brother as having stated)  was a mistake in the making thus perhaps proving the statement I made in the first place. I know nothing of old unobtanium 230 pound preamps :) I have seen that unit before as i believe one was offered on Agon about a year ago back or so. 

I also remember Paul telling me that the GTP2 was better than that unit. 

But hey again I started this thread to talk about my listening impressions of some very fine very modern preamps. Trust me guys the ARC Anniversary the Concert Fidelity the Karan and the MFA are absolutely world class.

There goes Andrew "helping" his friends again. LOL.

I'm glad I didn't fork over a boat load of money for one of those upper level TRL preamps only to later have it referred to as flawed, or the GTP-4 only to find that another TRL preamp costing significantly less smoked it. If past vs. present TRL product comparisons as Mr. Gear represents them are any indication what can Dude owners expect in the future?

Perhaps the best thing you can do to help your friends Andrew is to not say anything at all. We all know what happened the last time you intervened on behalf of TRL.

Andrew's posts do have a similar ring to the old Jes45 posts (although I was told by someone close to TRL that its not the case, and for now I'm taking him at his word that it isn't). However, when you read some of this stuff you can't help but wonder if perhaps Audiofun is on to something.

You think?