Preamp Deal of the Century

Recently I got my Syrah form Basstwo in HK who is now using Kent passive pre into DCS DAC. He told me it's more transparent with Kent, but less musical than with Syrah.
My combo consists of Apogee Stage,Syrah,Mentmore m-200(200w mono tube), Proceed CDP, MSB Gold Link. When adding Syrah, my hifi set sound much better. Nothing complainable. I listened to CAT III, Matisse Fantasy, CJ Pimier 14. Nothing is more impressive than Syrah.

If you run digital into SS direct - and like SS and digital - then you will like it better direct; more detail and you don't mind the ever more heightened incongruency between void space, even void-er, and detail (a bias towards hearing the detailed sound source over percieving the surrounding dimensional space and the two's relationship, i.e "transparent" as to sound projection, desiring it to be in greater relief from ever increasing void space, thereafter defined as a lower background "noise floor"). If you value dimensional spatial charactersistics, the aforementioned relationship to sound projection, etc., and usually, for the same reason are therefore into analog and NOS tubes, then you percieve the hardwired tube pre as the "fulcrum" of the system regarding the evolution of these traits and relationships in the future.

A little more complicated than what Jazzdude said, but same thing in more "objectified" subjective terms.

Oh yea, guys above who know about the WE 350B, please educate me: tell me about the various vintages, any difference soundwise, costs justified between them or just crazy collectors for the older stuff, like with the 300B (although there it may be justified...). Thanks, Mark.

did anyone compare this syrah with hovalnd hp100? i wonder?
thanks

Hi Louis...going direct, been there and done that and the results can be very good, but it's not always the solution?

Having gone down the direct/passive route and then to the Supratek Cortese and Cabernet preamps, I have to agree with Jazzdude and ASA that a preamp brings something to the performance of my system that recreates the musical event significantly better than without it! Like Jazzdude says, the Cortese does something extra that brings the music to life! The texture and tone of instruments and voices become liquid and seductive with a nice three dimensional bloom (with no loss of detail, either). It is not a euphonic sweetening or an 'additive' thing - the music just sounds more correct, more real through the Cortese, it draws you into the music rather than have you analysing it ( as you tend to do with passive/direct devices).

ASA has indicated that once you get a VERY GOOD preamp like the Syrah or Cortese, it becomes the fulcrum/centrepiece of your system (I've used the word 'pivotal' in previous posts). I can't really listen to reproduced music without my Cortese/Cabernet, if I take the Supratek out of my system the whole soundstage collapses and becomes flat and one dimensional.

Also, in going direct from the cdp volume to the amp you are assuming that the power amp sounds 'perfect'. In my experience this is not usually the case. The synergistic result and nuance a good valve preamp brings is NOT a small thing. Particularly, if you use a solid state amp which usually needs the help of a valve preamp to sound nice and add the right tone, texture and upper harmonics to the treble that only valves can bring. I do acknowledge however there are some exceptions in the s.s camp such as the little Pass Labs Aleph 3 (which I've got) that has valve-like virtues, but even this tonally correct sounding amp is 'synergistically assisted' by the Supratek pre's.

BTW, the Supratek power amps are just as good as the preamps. I use a pair of the 18w/ch Single Ended Triode 'Merlot' monoblocs using the very linear Russian 6C33C-B output valves, and the amp is excellent! being very clean, ethereal and correct sounding. You have to match them with efficient spkrs though to get the best out of the 18w that they produce, but then again the same can be said of the Lamm ML2 and Audionote Ongaku, which are also 'ultimate' low powered SET amps. If you need more power and have the requisite $$$$$, then the 100w/ch Supratek Burgundy sounds fantastic too...

Regards,

Steve M.

PS: In case you are wondering, I have in the past gone direct from the cdp to amp direct via the cdp's digital volume. And, I have used the McCormack - Mod Squad Deluxe passive preamp with silver wire and Penny & Giles attenuator; an Audio Synthesis stepped attenuator and other passive attenuators and NONE are as lively or real sounding as a good valve preamp like the Supratek.