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
Tubes last an incredibly long time. I've had a Syrah for about 8 years and have gone through one rectifier and one set of 6SN7's.
When people mention reliability they need to realise that no product is likely to have a perfect record.
A recent discussion on another NG [aus hi fi] gave figures for Marantz amplifiers from the 1970s.Even the most reliable still had 0.5% failure rates.Other models had 63% and 100%!And this was from an era of Japanese production famous for its quality control.
What we need to remember is that hard wired amplifiers have an excellent reputation for reliability compared to those using printed circuit boards-and even if a component or a solder joint fails it is a relatively cheap and easy thing to repair.
Any feedback from the recent purchasers of the Revelation umbilical ?

Just wondering if it's a worthwhile upgrade. Thanks.
So far my Chenin tweaks have been Sovtek KT-66's, Ken Rad 6SN7GT's and a Mullard 6106 rectifier along with Herbies nickel tube rings. For a $300 total investment, it's been worth every penny, sonic bliss.
Richmon-
I hope to post my thoughts on the Revelation upgrade once I have some time with it. It takes Brad some time to get them out as each is custom made to order. It makes sense that it would be an improvement. The stock umbilical (too long, not that well shielded), seems like a possible entry point for noise....
I have an umbilical cord from Brad. I had him make a 1 meter for my Chardonnay and it has been in my system for about 2 weeks now. It's been breaking in and I have done some listening on the weekends, My initial response is that the music seems to be smoother overall with less glare. The back ground also seems a bit blacker. I can say also say that Brad's service was absolutley Top Notch. He was great to deal with and always kept me in the loop during the build process. No regrets on getting the cord.