Swampwalker, Charles1dad, and Lloydelee21, I am beginning to think the same thing; the pre is the heart of things and what I should focus on. A new CJ is exactly what I need, does anybody know the next Powerball numbers? What do you all think about the Sonic Frontiers Line 1? There is one for sale and I did a bit of reading that suggests it is neutral. I think I need to try something neutral as a reference point. There are also an RM-5 and a Berning TF-10. Also a BAT vk-3ix just went for 1400 on ebay which is above my budget right now. I think I am going to just have to buy to try something, hard to decide which so I have been reading a lot on the preamps.
I have also been interested in trying the Lightspeed, but never see one for sale. Apparently there are plans, but as of yet I don't know where to buy a new one, need to go back and research that better. But for not much more could get one of the first three preamps I listed above.
I'm not quite clear on when a passive is a match; something to do with the voltage your source produces?
Ssglx, I got the Mapleshade on John's recommendation, I've read a lot of his posts and he seldom seems to jump up and down and stand on his head, so I figured he must give pretty level headed recommendations. I think bright and clear is exactly what the doctor ordered for my 8B (or McIntosh) and CJ system. Part of me still can't believe speaker wire can matter. Grannyring, I will go have a look at Monarchy, don't know about them. Vicdamone, will also check into the Medussa, not aware of it...isn't there a movie star named after your handle? ???
John, I just read the thread tonight when researching preamps where you were debating a BAT or a Sonic Frontiers pre. I think it was from 03. What amp and preamp are you using now?
Hifiharv, also funny you should mention the EL-84. My recent speaker shopping involved a lot of time at Arizona Hifi in Phoenix, listening to ProAcs through the Leben cs-300x integrated. I really like the sound. When they switched to the big Leben amp and pre, the sound was more full bodied and less light, but I can't forget how much I liked the ProAcs with the EL-84s. Then talking to Pierre at Mapleshade, the Scott they modify uses EL-84s. It got me to thinking. There is a cs-300x on agon for 2000, but that's outside my budget right now. -correction- it's gone. At 2000 it went fast. Also, I have been thinking about the RM-9, but this got me thinking about the RM-10. Only issue is, I am in a 11x12 (bedroom) office right now. My 8B is nominally 35wpc. I listen at just about the point where I start hearing distortion, about 10 or 11 on the CJ volume control. I am afraid when I get a new home in the next year or two, with a larger room, 35wpc may not be enough. Manley makes an 8 tube EL-84 amp. Or I guess I could get a new amp. But the EL-84 is in my radar now.
Lloydelee21, Unsound, Timlub, Pdspecl, I don't doubt that some seriously good SS could melt my butter. I heard a Classe/McIntosh/PS Audio SS system when I auditioned the B&W PM-1s and CM-9s at Soundquest in El Paso. I didn't miss any aspect of tubes, it just seemed amazingly good. Trouble is I'll never be able to afford the $15k just for the Classe. I still think that in the lower price range the tubes are going to give me a quality that might let me forget about the stuff I can't afford, or at least I hope so. Csontos may have just the ticket with vintage SS, though that would certainly complicate my search. I do think I need to look at a neutral pre right now. I am even thinking about SS, if there is a Classe, Pass, or Levinson pre in my range...would have to be an old one to be that cheap. I am a fan of vintage SS though. I miss my Pioneer SC-950 receiver and my brother has a beautiful looking and sounding Luxman receiver with the analog tuning knob.
Given the Mapleshades are on the way, I think my next step is a pre, either the Lightspeed if I can find/build one, or a neutral sounding pre in the 500-1000 range.
Thanks much all,
Jim
I have also been interested in trying the Lightspeed, but never see one for sale. Apparently there are plans, but as of yet I don't know where to buy a new one, need to go back and research that better. But for not much more could get one of the first three preamps I listed above.
I'm not quite clear on when a passive is a match; something to do with the voltage your source produces?
Ssglx, I got the Mapleshade on John's recommendation, I've read a lot of his posts and he seldom seems to jump up and down and stand on his head, so I figured he must give pretty level headed recommendations. I think bright and clear is exactly what the doctor ordered for my 8B (or McIntosh) and CJ system. Part of me still can't believe speaker wire can matter. Grannyring, I will go have a look at Monarchy, don't know about them. Vicdamone, will also check into the Medussa, not aware of it...isn't there a movie star named after your handle? ???
John, I just read the thread tonight when researching preamps where you were debating a BAT or a Sonic Frontiers pre. I think it was from 03. What amp and preamp are you using now?
Hifiharv, also funny you should mention the EL-84. My recent speaker shopping involved a lot of time at Arizona Hifi in Phoenix, listening to ProAcs through the Leben cs-300x integrated. I really like the sound. When they switched to the big Leben amp and pre, the sound was more full bodied and less light, but I can't forget how much I liked the ProAcs with the EL-84s. Then talking to Pierre at Mapleshade, the Scott they modify uses EL-84s. It got me to thinking. There is a cs-300x on agon for 2000, but that's outside my budget right now. -correction- it's gone. At 2000 it went fast. Also, I have been thinking about the RM-9, but this got me thinking about the RM-10. Only issue is, I am in a 11x12 (bedroom) office right now. My 8B is nominally 35wpc. I listen at just about the point where I start hearing distortion, about 10 or 11 on the CJ volume control. I am afraid when I get a new home in the next year or two, with a larger room, 35wpc may not be enough. Manley makes an 8 tube EL-84 amp. Or I guess I could get a new amp. But the EL-84 is in my radar now.
Lloydelee21, Unsound, Timlub, Pdspecl, I don't doubt that some seriously good SS could melt my butter. I heard a Classe/McIntosh/PS Audio SS system when I auditioned the B&W PM-1s and CM-9s at Soundquest in El Paso. I didn't miss any aspect of tubes, it just seemed amazingly good. Trouble is I'll never be able to afford the $15k just for the Classe. I still think that in the lower price range the tubes are going to give me a quality that might let me forget about the stuff I can't afford, or at least I hope so. Csontos may have just the ticket with vintage SS, though that would certainly complicate my search. I do think I need to look at a neutral pre right now. I am even thinking about SS, if there is a Classe, Pass, or Levinson pre in my range...would have to be an old one to be that cheap. I am a fan of vintage SS though. I miss my Pioneer SC-950 receiver and my brother has a beautiful looking and sounding Luxman receiver with the analog tuning knob.
Given the Mapleshades are on the way, I think my next step is a pre, either the Lightspeed if I can find/build one, or a neutral sounding pre in the 500-1000 range.
Thanks much all,
Jim