2. amps-preamps
  3. 1329437943

Sonic improvement with Threshold FET 9 refurb?

Hi All,
In a recent post I was asking if anyone knew of an affordable ($1200 or so) sonic step up from my ARC SP14 preamp since a threshold FET 9 I had recently aquired from a fellow Agoner did not, to my ears. sound quite as transparent and holographic as the SP14. Very,very nice, yes, but not a step up. I didn't get any suggestions other than to upgrade the SP14 electronics and a comment that there was probably no affordable step up.
Anyway, after re-reviewing the glowing write-ups on the FET 9, I'm wondering if, despite its nearly pristine condition inside and out, my example might be a bit "tired". I realize that there is significant controversy about the need for capacitor replacement and or power supply upgrades and don't want to spend a lot of money trying to fix somethhing that is really working as well as it can, but am wondering if this might be sonically worthwhile. I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who has actual experience with this or a parallel scenario.
Thanks!
drjay
drjay OP
27 posts
 
Thanks Folks,
I will contact Jon Soderberg next week but am still wondering if, following refurbishing, my unit will be an improvement sonically on my ARC SP14. If anyone out there has had a chance to compare a properly functioning "well tuned" FET9 or FET9e to an ARC SP14 I would greatly appreciate your impressions.
Thanks!
unsound
7,318 posts
 
FWIW, as far as I can tell the differences between the FET 10 and the FET 10e is that the e series has a beefier external power supply with completely removable (and possibly upgradable?) umbilical cord, a set of XLR inputs and outputs (though neither set is truly differentially balanced), slightly different control options and layout, with different knobs and other cosmetics. I would think that the 9 series would have similar differences, and that a standard FET with e series power supply, would be at the very least comparable to a "full blown" e series.
hifigeek1
770 posts
 
I believe the SP-14 is somewhat similar to the SP-9. Both of these units had crosstalk issues. As frequency went up, crosstalk went up. This caused a problem with the image to some extent. It manifested itself as a whitish curtain between instruments in space and a lack of silence between them. I doubt the FET9 had the same issues as the SP-14 but remember, both units use older FET technology.
unsound
7,318 posts
 
FWIW, here's a comparison of a newer higher end model Threshold FET 10 with an older model Audio Research SP 11 and a Klyne.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/threshold-fet-10-preamplifier-page-2
hifigeek1
770 posts
 
The SP-11 although an older design is also a very different design from the SP-14....
More to discover