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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
619 posts
 
Fiddler,
I appreciate your statement, and actually I'n not surprized about your isolation findings, makes perfect sense to me.
Hopefully, I'm gonna get a Supratek phonostage , Mick is building for me, and I'll try your method.
ironsienna
6 posts
 
Concerning the glare... I have never heard of it... I am not using cones, just a granite plinth under my sauvignon, and I use Kimber Select 1036 interconnects in my system. I think interconnects are the most important upgrade and you really need top of the class with supratek components to let them perform without compromises. After going to Kimber I couldn't believe that my system could sound that transparent and yet sweet... Its like there is a small brain in there that determines which element to make sweet (vocals) and which to make bright (cymbals). I cant find any sound signature... Everything depends on the source and the recording mastering. I really love my sauvignon :)
ait
480 posts
 
I have found that the Zu Varial interconnects and Zu Ibis speaker cables work very well with my Chenin. I have no glare whatsoever, but my Chenin is modded to use 2C22 tubes instead of the often microphonic 6SN7. The 2C22s have no detectable microphonics whatsoever, you can tap on them, rattle the shelf ... nothing. I think microphonics may be a big reason for the glare sometimes heard in systems using 6SN7 tubes, hence the reason improved isolation has such an effect.
pjwd
35 posts
 
Ait - you have a good point - although my experience is that isolation under everything - tubes and SS - (even power supplies for TT motors) make a difference as do cables and power supplies - when you drop in the new cable and it is bright ( but more detailed )it may well be isolation or power supply filtering that is needed to solve it rather than another cable - none of us will will ong enough to try out all the permuations of products on offer but it does keep you off the streets - I have ended up with ball bearings for isolation, ribbon cable and actively sheilded power cables with bybees + v caps and alps RK50 pot on cortese - it all sounds pretty good but who knows if another approach would not sound better

Cheers
slowhand OP
610 posts
 
I have been using SRA VR3 iso bases under my Supratek Cortese preamp and power supply for years with no sign of glare. Just pure sweet music. I use the Berning ZH270 as my amp and no glare issues from it either.

I recently pulled all my more expensive interconnects and replaced them with Acoustic Research Master Series interconnects. The sound is better and the cost for 4 pair of interconnects came to a total of less than $100.

Glad to see the thread continues.
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