2. amps-preamps
  3. 1016931418

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
pootie
7 posts
 
Aibo, since no one's answering your questions, I'll try. I don't have neither the Cortese or the Ayre K1x, so take this with a grain of salt. I have listen to both in my co-worker's system briefly. They are two different preamplifier, the COrtese is warm and smooth, not as much detail and a speed as the Ayre. The ayre doesn't make everything golden like the Cortese, but it's gotta have the blackest background and the most transparent of any pre I have ever heard. If I had the funds, I would try to audition the Ayre, a very overlooked pre. As with any component, system matching and auditioning is very important.
saint2
24 posts
 
Does anybody have the Syrah with the HT bypass? Where is the switch located, is it on the front, or the back of the preamp? When placing an order do you place a deposit on it or pay for it up front? I placed 2 e-mails to Mick weeks ago with no response. I hate to call him because he must be very busy. Maybe that is why I have not heard from him.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Its possible that the HT pypass is just an input w/unity gain. Probably accessed just by rotating the input selector to the correct position. OTOH, the Syrah does have the capability to have 2 toggles, one on the front right and other on the rear left.
bwhite
807 posts
 
The latest Supratek preamps fitted with HT-Bypass have a switch on the top plate, near the back of the preamp, in-between the two transformer covers. By-pass only works when the switch is engaged and the Supratek doesn't even need to be powered on.

This most recent iteration of HT-Bypass on Supratek's is flawless. It provides ZERO gain - ZERO attenuation.
amandarae
512 posts
 
" I placed 2 e-mails to Mick weeks ago with no response"

That's odd? I have correspondence with him last Sunday. Everytime I sent an e-mail to him, I got a response right away.

BTW, I believe the Syrah preamp does not exist anymore. It is now called a Chenin. Same linestage superiority as the Syrah but with better phono section ( taken from the Cortese) as what Flacre mentioned a few post above.
More to discover