Preamp Deal of the Century


If anyone is looking for a true "World Class" preamp at a very fair price..heed my advice. I just recieved a Supratek Syrah preamp that was hand built by Mick Maloney in Western Australia, and it is absolutely beautiful! This preamp is the best deal you will ever find. I would put it up against any preamp out there for both looks and sound. Price? $2500 for the Syrah (includes Killer Phono stage). Not into phono? Try the Chardonney line stage for $2100. Don't get me wrong, I am not associated with this company. I am just a very happy owner! This preamp is VERY dynamic, yet liquid. It conveys the sound of music better than any other preamp that I have ever heard! You can check out the Supratek website at www. cantech.net.au
slowhand
Maril555,

I have my Cortese setting on a rack that is similar to the Mapleshade racks (Rock Maple shelves). The preamp is supported by Mapleshade brass cones. I think the best isolation would be Silent Running Audio isolation bases. These are custom made to the exact size of your equipment and they take into account the weight and weight distribution of the piece of equipment they are supporting.
Maril555- My rack is an older MDF one,so not a great base obviously. I've gone through Mapleshade Brass Cones,Isofeet,Boston Audio Tuneblocks(original ones) and have always come back to a set of three Gingko Mini-Clouds.

The Boston Audio products work fantastically on sources and possible other applications,but they leaned out my Syrah just too much for me. However,the level of detail was very good. There's just something about tubes and those rubber balls. Again,sitting atop MDF which may have something to do with it,YMMV.
Wonder why nobody has reported about their Malbec or Mondeuse? Maybe Mick is still putting the finishing touches on them before sending them out. I can't wait to order a pair of Mondeuse to drive a pair of ML summits I have on order. But I need the first positive reports before making another order for Supratek equipment.
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I have been using Symposium Rollerblocks (cryoed) to great effect and have found them to be the best of any of the cones or other devices that I have tried.
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Rollerblocks work incredibly well under Pre-amps (both pre and power supply), CD Players/DAC's, Amps, and power conditioners (big surprise here how much improvement when placed under the power conditioner).
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If you have your Supratek just sitting on its own feet, you are missing out on a lot. I spent a lot of time fooling around with platforms and couplers and de-couplers. The Symposium Rollerblocks are by far the best of anything I have tried. Get a used set on Audiogon and try them under each of your different components. I now have them under every piece of equipment except my Turntable. I have put them under my Teres TT battery supply and was more than a bit surprised in the improvement in detail and air.
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The more resolving your system, the more improvement you will gain from the Rollerblocks.
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Rgds,
Larry
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Hello, I have been following this thread for a while now and finally pulled the trigger and ordered a Chardonnay preamp from Mick a few weeks ago.Total time from my initial talk with Mick to the preamp arriving at my doorstep...one week! He says that is the norm now that he has some additional help . I was a little leary of buying something sight unheard and half way around the planet! (I"m in south florida).But big thanks to Raytheprinter and Allanbissett for allaying any such fears!This preamp replaced an aging audible illusions l1,and what a replacement! Everything Ray, Allan, and you guys said about the sonic qualities of this preamp are right on the money and then some! I have a friend that could care less about this high end stuff and was familiar with my sytem..well the first day I had it playing in the background as he passed by the room and the first thing he said was "sweet sound!" never had commented on my old system! lol Even my girlfriend is playing cd"s on the system more than ever.Well just thought I"d say hi and put my 2 cents in.....time to roll some tubes now!