Thoughts from Joule preamp owners?

Have not heard the 450, but owned the 150 SE - in my view the Joules, and I
have to assume they are voiced pretty similarly from 150-300-450 certainly
have character, it just happens to be a character I really like - all it takes is
listening to something like a Lightspeed/BENT/Placette passive to notice the
Joule has character and vivid tonal color - nothing wrong with that, I happen to
love it - but it does not sound like the color of water IMHO.

In fact, compared it to a CAT SL1 - loved both, but the Joule seemed warmer
compared with the CAT - again not a bad thing, a matter of taste - I lean
towards the Joule, but both are first rate and that could change with
amp/speakers used with one to the other.

Maril555, you have me curious. I have always been interested in trying a Joule pre-amp. How might you compare the Suprateks to the Joule 450 ME? I know the Joule is in another league price wise but I have always been interested in the sonic differences. I have a Syrah and it is just a steal in my experience with preamps for all it offers, I still love this pre-amp.

I too have heard the all Joule/Merlin set-up at an audio show in NYC many years back which I throughly enjoyed, you just didn't want to leave.

Like you've said- Joule is in a different league, not only price- wise, but also sonically. It is much more refined and musical. Better bass extension, significantly better treble extension and it is more dynamic, as well.
I have 108 dB system, and Joule is DEAD quiet. Unfortunately Supratek is not. With a less sensitive speakers, it might not be such an issue.

Thanks Maril555, I appreciate the info. I don't find noise too much an issue other than the phono stage then again I am using the Merlins which are less efficient than yours but it is still quite remarkable to me that your speakers are 108 dB and is dead quiet, especially using tubes, that is indeed amazing! The Berning amp I am using is DEAD quiet so any noise in my system would come from the pre-amp. The other things you note concerning the differences are most certainly of greater interest, thanks again for the insight.

BTW, what a nice system you have! I love the Lamms as well, you must be at or near the very pinnacle with that set-up.

" What amps and speakers are you using with the 450?"

I have a pair of Spectron monoblocks running Sasha by David Wilson. Extraordinary combination, the best system I ever owned. Many people complain that Wilsons do not have enough of dynamic range and deep bass or musically not involving - not with this pre and power amps !!!

Mike