Preamp Deal of the Century

Bwhite, your comments echo my sentiments about the Alps.

I'm not sure what attenuators Mick has tried, but the DACT is 3db steps. Certainly not a problem in my system.

I also by-passed the selector switch and tape monitor switch about a week ago and it was another step in transparency. I only use the CD input, so I went straight from the input to the DACT.

If you do a search at AA about the Alps Blue pot I think you will discover what many others found out about the Alps. It seems to add a layer of grain and/or veils to the music. Everyone who changed it to something else noticed a major improvement.

It seems it took the DACT about two weeks to fully burn in, but after that, no going back!

Since I have the Chardonnay, I think there will be enough room for the Bent remote control. I am going to try it when I have time.

Warren

I have a Chenin on order with the dact. Bwhite, I emailed Mick to see if the remote would fit in a Chardonay and he responded that unfotunately, the step motor is simply too wide for a Supratek, even without the phono stage. I guess I will experience, for the first time, what it is like not having a remote.

Here's another testamonial to replacing the gain pot. Yesterday, I replaced the stock Alps Blue pot with a DACT CT-2 (both 100k) in my Syrah.

I've had the Syrah since early this year. It replaced what I always condsidered a great "bang for the buck" - my Dynaco (Panor) PAS-4.

Needless to say, the Syrah is miles above the Dynaco but at 5x the price, it should be. The thing that I always noticed about the Syrah though, was a slight grain that veiled some of the music detail. I've got a pretty efficient, transparent system using a Heart CD5000 tubed CD player, Scheu Premier MKII tt, JK45 amp, and Altec Model 19 speakers.

I'm very happy to say that after installing the DACT, that grain has all but disappeared! There is much more clarity to the music. This is very noticeable. Not one of those, "If I listen hard enough, I can hear a difference" type mods.

Anyone who is/has ordered one of the Supretek products would be very wise to consider this upgrade. For those that already have one of these fine units, the replacement is very straight forward. Took me all of 30 minutes to complete.

Happy listening,

Steve

I changed the Alps for the DACT attenuator. After some weeks it seems to me that the sound is clearer but not by a BIG margin and if you need the remote control it doesn´t worthwhile in my opinion. But if you can do it without the remote, any improvement, even if subtle, is wellcome.
I guess that evrybody here have subtleties in consideration.

I get the best sound, so far, with:
NU350B as regulators, GE6SN7GTB as line tubes, GZ34 Philips Miniwatt metal base as rectifier and in my case DACT as attenuator.
As phono tubes I use Sylvania 6GK5 and Mullard or Amperex PQ 6688 (E180F).

Great thread guys, very informative, friendly and with lots of great info and advice. Took me 5 nights to read through it all!!

l took the plunge today and sent of my deposit for a Cabernet linestage. l am fortunate to be in the 1% of Aussies that has bought one of Mick's amps, its remarkable how nearly all of them find their way to appreciative audio nuts elsewhere around the world.

Jazzdude > How are you getting on with your Cabernet, how has it settled in to your system? Tried any tube rolling?

Cheers Simon