Mapletree Audio versus Decware preamps

Hi Rudge. Not sure I will be able to do a meaningful comparison since I have not had any of those preamps in my system for quite some while, even the Joule is at least six months or longer. I will be A/B the Lightspeed Attenuator with the Mapletree, I can only say that I prefered the LSA to the Joule which had been my favourite tube preamp (over the CAT, ARC, and Lamm). I will say that for $800 (I got the blackgate capacitor option)this is one heck of a good sounding preamp in my system (using EMM Labs, Music Reference RM9 Special Edition amp, and Merlin VSMs. So my opnion is that for $800 you can buy one heck of a fine preamp that plays very well with much higher $$$ components - this preamp is good on any scale, but simply tremendous value and lets audiophile with limited budgets buy into true high-end gear without the prices some think you need to pay.

Pubul thanks for your response. I appreciate it.

Rolled in RCA 12SN7s and 6X5s - The more time I spend with the 2A SE, the more appreciate what a fine sounding piece of gear it is. Not sure how the Mapletree might compare with the Decware - but I suggest you A/B this piece with much more expensive stuff, see what you think - I'm enjoying my system every bit as much with this preamp in my system - I don't know, maybe I'm just getting less critical as I simply sit back and enjoy the music.

I know this thread is old and may not mean anything at this point. I have owned a couple of Mapletree Pre-amps. They are great. I currently own the Decware Phono ZP3 and integrated Amp. If you are going digital you can go either way and be satisfied. I personally will lean a little to Mapletree. If you are doing LP's then Decware all the way. Keep in mind I do not own the Decware Line level pre amp. Just the integrated and Phono.

Perhaps others to consider in this grouping would be the Transcendent Sound and Van Alstine Line Stages - seems these 4 companies offer quite a bit of bang for the buck.