Upgrade from Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE

If you can find one used, I heartily recommend the Von Gaylord LAD-L2 at relatively little additional cost to you. I used to own the STP-SE, then a Conrad Johnson CT5, and have had the L2 much longer than both. It has a lot of that vivid, soul-reaching tube magic but is also very detailed and clean, but not edgy. There is not a whole lot of info about it out there, but it's there, and you'll see that it is quite beloved by those who've experienced it.

Has anyone taken the plunge and purchased the STP-SE Preamp with the Level-2 upgrade from Underwood Hi-Fi? Wally at Underwood informed me recently that the Level 2 upgrade done by former Sonic Frontier's engineer Chris Johnson puts the STP-SE on the same performance level as the Spread Spectrum Ambrosia Preamp that Underwood also sells. Wally stated that the upgrade is 100% as good as the Ambrosia which has been compared to Preamps costing well over $20K. If purchased new, the STP-SE level 2 upgrade will cost you an extra $1200.00 or $1400.00 if you already own one. Curious if anyone has listened to the Level 2 upgrade version and is it as good as Underwood says it is?

The new CJ SEpre through Spearit sound can be bought for under$4k
With buying just 1 NOS tube or the EAT tube one makes for a great preamp with all their Teflon caps,and I believe they also use a FET stage
A killer pre gets very close to the CT-5 for less then 1/2.

The comment for a stp-SE- level 2 sonicly sounding like 20kis far more then to hope for ..it cannot even match many tube preamps under $7k. You want a Great preamp buy a Cary -05 preamp new $8500 is a Great preamplifier.
This 2 box unit used can be bought used for around $4500 .and has won several awards !! I don't have one but thinking strongly on doing so.

My uncle had the Esoteric C03 ($10K) and the STP-SE simultaneously. He told me that they were VERY VERY close in nature but after some thought he said the STP-SE edged it out and that is the one he preferred. This was stock. Don't let price be your guiding principle, often times it is not the compass to use in order to arrive at your destination. One other thing to consider, most and I do mean MOST tube amps and preamps are the same recycled circuits whether it be Williamson or the like be deployed in new boxes OVER and OVER again.., oh yeah.., with new caps (most OEM) and people charging $3K for them. I am not referring to Duelunds which I personally believe are worth every penny :)