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Preamp Deal of the Century

If anyone is looking for a true "World Class" preamp at a very fair price..heed my advice. I just recieved a Supratek Syrah preamp that was hand built by Mick Maloney in Western Australia, and it is absolutely beautiful! This preamp is the best deal you will ever find. I would put it up against any preamp out there for both looks and sound. Price? $2500 for the Syrah (includes Killer Phono stage). Not into phono? Try the Chardonney line stage for $2100. Don't get me wrong, I am not associated with this company. I am just a very happy owner! This preamp is VERY dynamic, yet liquid. It conveys the sound of music better than any other preamp that I have ever heard! You can check out the Supratek website at www. cantech.net.au
slowhand
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Tubes for the Syrah. I found the best 6SN7s in the Syrah to be the KenRad VT231s or the old Sylvania brown bases, 6SN7W GTs I believe. The RCA 5692 red bases were terrible. I also found the best regulators were the Sylvania 5932 best. The best rectifier I found was the RCA 5V4 GA. The phono stage tubes give you little choice. The WE 147A versus the Raytheon 5842 is difficult as the first tends to be best if not microphonic, but most are. The choice between Mullard and RCA 6GK5 seems to make little difference. Also many of these tubes are noisy.

Tube rolling with this unit is great fun but expensive. Good luck to you beginning this journey.
jewel_hasan's avatar
jewel_hasan
98 posts
 
Hey Gang-

Looks like I'm up next, my Chardonnay is shipping as early as 8/29 - I place my ordered on 3/29. I have no clue how long the shipment will take to get to NYC. By the way - what's involved in the customs clearance? I've seen posts indicating a duty of $130. When and where does one deal with this? Is this something you pay the shipping company when you receive it? I appreciate any advice you can give on this.

Thanks
bwhite
807 posts
 
Hi Jewel - the shipping usually takes three or four days. I live in California (Silicon Valley - near San Francisco). The preamp arrived in the US at a port in Los Angeles CA via FedEx, then was shipped to Tennessee and then back to California from there. Strange process.

FedEx will invoice you a few weeks later for the 130 in duties.

rmml's avatar
rmml
204 posts
 
Hi Jewel, mine took exactly four days including a weekend. I called fedex when the unit arrived in the country and had them fax me a copy of the 2 forms that's needed, I filled them out and faxed it to their office in Tennessee. They also charged my fedex account $130 for duties.
rockhead
83 posts
 
Congrats Jewel. I must be getting close as I ordered mine a bit before you and 1 other person who got theirs. But I ordered the Syrah. Seems like Mick makes a batch of each at a time. Let us know how you like it next month. Also be curious to know what tubes you get.
Regards,
Patrick
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