Tube Preamps?


For a few years, I have been "bottom feeding" with a NAD 1135 preamp. Even though it's old, it has served me well. Now, however, I am thinking seriously about going into the used tube preamp market.

I am looking for a tube preamplifier that would sound good with my current gear, which consists of: B&K 140 amp, Vandersteen 2C speakers, a Music Hall TT, a Denon CD player, and ~10,000 LPs. I have been considering an ARC SP-9, a big old Macintosh, etc.

Ideas?
licoricepizza2
Classic status should go to the ARC SP-8MK2 preamp. The ARC
preamps are great builds and their service is outstanding.
To me the Audilbe Illusions 3A used is considered one of the best full function preamps ever made. Of course waiting for service could be a while. But their failure rate is a very low percentage. All the best...
Licoricepizza2, Re impedance matching I mentioned earlier, 24.3K and a pre-amp with 3500 output impedance might integrate well especially if the 'tightest' bass is not an objective, nor a bit of bass bloom at times is objectionable to you. That is what you might expect from your system I think. BTW I used to own an identical amp, a nice amp especially tonally speaking.

Keeping your costs down you might consider pre-amps that come up time to time which can do the job you want consistent with your other components. I used (and still have actually) a Magus pre-amp which I used as a back up to my ARC SP10. When these appear they usually sell between $500 and $750.

Re some of the above recommendations, I think the Conrad Johnson PV 5 is excellent and easy to use. I also think the AI 3A is as well but, unfortunately doesn't have great flexibility tube wise to change it tone if you want to, but you also have to deal with two volume controls, one per channel. Too bad they didn't use these volume controls as gain controls with a master volume control (as the Magus does), but for me the ARC SP82 (revision 7 if possible) would be an outstanding choice if you can afford one that is in top condition. The ARC SP 9 looks cool but sounds sterile and I wouldn't own one at any price.

Hope that helps a bit.