Preamp Deal of the Century

Hi Slipknot, Just had a look at your incredible system. There are some changes from the last time I looked. By the sound of it, your Chenin has kepted pace with those changes... If there ever was a testimony for Micks phono stages,this is it...

Stilkskin-
Thank you for the kind words. The Chenin is in fine company. The phono stage in Mick's preamp brings out the best in the Magic Diamond cart for sure. I have finally begun to experiment with some different 6SN7 tubes and am really getting an education in the various attributes they offer.

I recently realized a significate leap forward in musical performace with my modest system.It really knocked me on my ass. Unknown to me all this time I was not hearing what my system was really capable of directly due to cables in my tone arm and the rest of my system. V.P.I.s new Signature tone arm wired with Nordost Valhalla was the first step to something I was not fully expecting.Not by a long shot. From there it was only logical to carry on with more Nordost wire from my turntable to my Chenin. I bought a used burnt in pair of Nordost Frey interconnects to check out....OH MY GOD....Over the past three years I have tried out many different brands of moderate to expensive interconnects and speaker wire. Looking back, compared to what I have experienced with Nordost, all the others had a out right dismal effect.This tiny fragile signal from my cartridge to the phono stage was distroyed by the other brands of wire. I understand Nordost makes direct replacement wire from their new line including Valhalla for other brands of tonearms other then V.P.I.. This mono filiment wire takes an extraordinary long time to burn in.For those who do not like what Nordost wire does,you have not heard it fully burnt in,thats for sure. Nordost manufatures a cable cooker available to distributors and dealers.It will do tonearm wire, interconnets and speaker wire. Its needed believe me. You really what to find out how good your system is? Look into this.....

Any further Malbec Impressions? I'm dying to find out how it sounds, especially paired with a Chenin Preamp.

Need to chime in with some feedback about my Sauv after a couple weeks: it is now really showing me what it can do. It is stunning me on everything now. Truly, I have the transparency I had with the TVC with a lot more body and dynamics where it counts. I have several vocal tracks that were my active preamp "torture test" - nothing else ever managed to avoid sounding veiled in comparison to the passive. Not the Sauv. It's just as revealing and better in the other ways mentioned. Still running the EH 6SN7s too. No regrets buying this piece unheard.