6sn7 and 12sn7 octal preamp for under $5k

Using a dehavilland Ultraverve 3 and really like - big improvement over my CJ premier 14...

Hi Phil,
Do you prefer the Melody or the Valvet? How would you decide which would be a better match for a system? I respect your ears as you and I have similar taste ( meaning I have listened to your advice in the past and have come to appreciate your words of wisdom:)). Also have you heard the Modwright LS-100? If so, could you compare and contrast them all?
Thanks in advance,
Morgan

>>Do you prefer the Melody or the Valvet?<<

I like both the Melody 101 and the Valvet L2, but for somewhat different reasons. Both have the big tone and harmonic completeness generally associated with octal preamps. The Valvet is explosively energetic while the Melody's dynamic energy is more "tidal." The Valvet wakes up a system that has some laziness left in it or puts more shove into a room that eats dynamic energy. On the other hand, the Melody settles a room that has uneven dynamic response and fills every nook and cranny of it with swelling tone when appropriate. If other components in a system lack speed, the Valvet will compensate. If greater nuance is your goal, Melody has the edge.

The Melody 101 with stock tubes is no match for the Valvet. Both benefit from NOS 6sn7s but the Melody gains the greater leap from proper tubes. It's astonishing how much the Melody improves by replacing its stock base Chinese 6sn7s and it's generic current production rectifier tube. The stock Guigang 101D tubes are OK -- the 101D is apparently used for voltage regulation. The mesh plate (really, perforated plate) Full Music 101d/n brings some improvements over the stock tube but they are small and come at the expense of more noise. The Shuguang 101D large bulb tube sounds clearly better than stock, and has no downsides. I have a range of vintage 6sn7 tubes that transform the Melody, and the Mullard Blackburn-made 5ar4 pins it.

I bought a Melody Pure Black 101 but recommended a Valvet to a friend because it was a better match to his needs. In a market long on mediocre preamps at every price, these two along with the new 6sn7 version of the Valvet Soulshine, are standouts. The Valvet is forward in my room/system, but exactly right for another. The Melody, properly tubed, is among the best preamps at any price in convincing tonality, and its tidal surge dynamics match my 845 SET amp's burstiness and room.

I have heard the Modwright. Every Modwright piece I've heard has the same signature flaws of dynamic constriction and tonality incomplete presentation -- something about Modwright designs fails to produce "the whole note." I just don't find MW sound in any way engaging or musically convincing, so I don't consider the Modright LS remotely in the same league as the two preamps discussed here.

Phil

The Atma-Sphere MP-1 has an all-octal line section but you won't find that in your price range used. The MP-3 uses a combination in the line stage and used they will be in the right range.

Thanks Phil. That helps me a lot actually and also just hearing the way you interpret the system helps me understand how to better make improvements across my system. I believe that I have quite an uneven dynamic response ( I interpret this to mean that certain songs sound great at times, and then with changes in dynamics, I get a huge volume swing and feel the need to turn the song down for a few seconds), and the tone of my system is a bit off with regards to stringed instruments. That may be a reflection of the change in speakers from Zu to Tekton, but it could be the change in Pre and amp also. I will definitely keep this in mind going forward. Thanks again.......