Pre-amp for Purifi Eigentakt Poweramp

[mindcruncher]

I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy a Eigentakt poweramp soon and I need a preamp for it.

I've been suggested a RME ADI-2 DAC FS which is VERY intresting since it got DAC, Headphone-amp and also XLR-outputs.

It's just one thing (i think it's only one thing now ) that stop me from taking the next step, that's lack of analog input for my turntable/riaa.
I know there's RIAA with digital out but I want it to be analog. Pro-ject have an intresting Pre Box DS2 but that lacks Headphone-amp and XLR-outputs.

Anyone who can show me the path to total bliss with some suggestions on affordable equipment?

Edit: Remote is almost mandatory in my usecase

Edit 2: Equipment that i've been already looking on and I don't think fits my needs:

Schiit Freya S
MiniDSP Flex
MiniDSP SHD Studio

 

[Gorgonzola]

Well maybe you know that many audiophiles find the Purifi isn't all they want. Frankly these guys crave a little distortion to improve their enjoyment by, (as it's often expressed), improving the "musicality" of what they hear.

So how might people of that mind improve inject this "musicality"? The preamp is probably the best place to do this. Simply, a pre that has some 2nd/3rd order harmonics is an effective way. Tube preamps typically have these harmonics to a greater or lessor extent. I drive my own VTV Purifi with a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp; as tube preamps go the SF produces relatively little distortion. However, especially with less than excellent recordings, the slight addition of a little "tube goodness" seems to do the trick.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy a Eigentakt poweramp soon and I need a preamp for it.

I've been suggested a RME ADI-2 DAC FS which is VERY intresting since it got DAC, Headphone-amp and also XLR-outputs.

It's just one thing (i think it's only one thing now ) that stop me from taking the next step, that's lack of analog input for my turntable/riaa.
I know there's RIAA with digital out but I want it to be analog. Pro-ject have an intresting Pre Box DS2 but that lacks Headphone-amp and XLR-outputs.

Anyone who can show me the path to total bliss?

Seems like a great choice. I am sure you saw the review here

 

[jae]

RME is a great choice regardless of version, 2/4 Pro SE will probably be my next purchase at an unknown time. Pro/Pro SE version has analogue in and some other features. Top of the line alternatives are products like Topping DX7Pro+, Topping D90/A90 stack, Pre90, etc. Cheaper options like Motu M4/M6/Ultralite mk5 are also great if you don't care as much about having tons of headphone amp power, and want a multi-featured device that can take analogue inputs and even mic inputs as well. Personally I needed a microphone pre and I wasn't ready to spend the money on the RME just yet so my Motu M4 is a 24/7 on workhorse for everything.

Well maybe you know that many audiophiles find the Purifi isn't all they want. Frankly these guys crave a little distortion to improve their enjoyment by, (as it's often expressed), improving the "musicality" of what they hear.

So how might people of that mind improve inject this "musicality"? The preamp is probably the best place to do this. Simply, a pre that has some 2nd/3rd order harmonics is an effective way. Tube preamps typically have these harmonics to a greater or lessor extent. I drive my own VTV Purifi with a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp; as tube preamps go the SF produces relatively little distortion. However, especially with less than excellent recordings, the slight addition of a little "tube goodness" seems to do the trick.

Seems to me like it kinda defeats the purpose of getting such a clean amplifier like the purifi if you're just going to run tubes or other poor measuring gear through it, at that point you might as well just use a cheaper alternative like ncore, icepower etc. since the lesser performance is not going to impact the signal as much since the tubes for example are a limiting factor by a large margin. If you want harmonics why not just buy a D90LE and use tube mode (which can actually be toggled off with a push of a button if desired) or add harmonics via VST if a computer is the source.

 

[Gorgonzola]

Seems to me like it kinda defeats the purpose of getting such a clean amplifier like the purifi if you're just going to run tubes or other poor measuring gear through it, at that point you might as well just use a cheaper alternative like ncore, icepower etc. since the lesser performance is not going to impact the signal as much since the tubes for example are a limiting factor by a large margin. If you want harmonics why not just buy a D90LE and use tube mode (which can actually be toggled off with a push of a button if desired) or add harmonics via VST if a computer is the source.

I agree about the nCore which I've owned, but mostly because the difference from the Purifi is very small, not because the virtue of the Purifi is somehow "defeated".

The "tube mode" of the Topping D90LE is interesting -- for one thing, it acknowledges that some people do, in fact, what a little distortion. However the choice with the D90LE is binary unlike most tube preamps where rolling tubes can tune the sound to quite a significant extent.

And, to be sure, there are DSP options for adding specific amounts of distortion which is great for experimenters. For example, PKHarmonic VST Plugin.

 

[mindcruncher]

I agree about the nCore which I've owned, but mostly because the difference from the Purifi is very small, not because the virtue of the Purifi is somehow "defeated".

The "tube mode" of the Topping D90LE is interesting -- for one thing, it acknowledges that some people do, in fact, what a little distortion. However the choice with the D90LE is binary unlike most tube preamps where rolling tubes can tune the sound to quite a significant extent.

And, to be sure, there are DSP options for adding specific amounts of distortion which. This great for experimenters. For example, PKHarmonic VST Plugin.

I dont want or need a computer connected to my audio-system

 

[Mindhead1]

I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy a Eigentakt poweramp soon and I need a preamp for it.

I've been suggested a RME ADI-2 DAC FS which is VERY intresting since it got DAC, Headphone-amp and also XLR-outputs.

It's just one thing (i think it's only one thing now ) that stop me from taking the next step, that's lack of analog input for my turntable/riaa.
I know there's RIAA with digital out but I want it to be analog. Pro-ject have an intresting Pre Box DS2 but that lacks Headphone-amp and XLR-outputs.

Anyone who can show me the path to total bliss with some suggestions on affordable equipment?

Check out the Schiit Lyr. Nice headphone amp and preamp with 2 inputs.

 

[mindcruncher]

Check out the Schiit Lyr. Nice headphone amp and preamp with 2 inputs.

Thanks. But availability of Schiit in Europe is so-so. Even if it's better now than before...

And I changed now in my first post that remote are almost mandatory in this case...

 

[Gorgonzola]

I dont want or need a computer connected to my audio-system

So PKharmonic is out for you. That's fair, so then IF you do want to insinuate a little happy distortion you're back to where and how to do it by other means. In the case of the Purifi, you have options: (a) choose a Purifi amp with an I/O buffer that allows you to swap op amps and/or tubes, (b) use a tube or otherwise distortion-adding preamp, (c) use an other upstream component that adds a little distortion such as a tube DAC or the likes of the Topping D90LE with "tube mode".

For my part, my days of playing physicals discs, vinyl or digital, are long over. I play computer files exclusively.

 

[JSmith]

suggestions on affordable equipment

Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

This is a review and detailed measurement of the Minidsp Flex audio signal processor. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $475 for unbalanced and $550 for balanced that I tested. Flex borrows the interface from SHD and puts it in a compact package. Seeing how I really liked that...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Phono Box – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

Phono Box: Best buy classic for pure vinyl listening pleasure! Today, many amplifiers do not have a specific phono cartridge input. Phono Box is an ideal phono

www.project-audio.com

JSmith

 

[mindcruncher]

Minidsp Flex Review (Audio DSP)

This is a review and detailed measurement of the Minidsp Flex audio signal processor. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $475 for unbalanced and $550 for balanced that I tested. Flex borrows the interface from SHD and puts it in a compact package. Seeing how I really liked that...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Phono Box – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

Phono Box: Best buy classic for pure vinyl listening pleasure! Today, many amplifiers do not have a specific phono cartridge input. Phono Box is an ideal phono

www.project-audio.com

JSmith

Yeah. Noticed that one. But that does not have Headphone amp. But soooo close

 

[boXem]

As far as I understand it, @mindcruncher doesn't want the phono input to be digitized. So something with phono input, analog volume control, DAC and headphone amp.

 

[JiiPee]

Have a look at AVM PA30.3

MM/MC phono input, headphones amp, XLR out - check, check and check; plus build quality one can expect from a serious German manufacturer.

 

[mindcruncher]

Have a look at AVM PA30.3

MM/MC phono input, headphones amp, XLR out - check, check and check; plus build quality one can expect from a serious German manufacturer.

That one seems really nice. Even if the price was OK it's almost above my budget at the moment. Swedish krona is under the ice

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I use the Octo Research Dac 8 Pro. I have a Purifi which I assembled from parts (Hypex SMPS 1200, Purifi Eval 1, Ghent Stereo case and wiring harnesses). I bypassed the buffer board and had Octo set the channels driving the Purifi to 10 VRMS, so it could still be driven to clipping.

Sounds great. Don't think it has a lot of character, because it just puts out what's put in only louder. Plenty of output and I don't hear anything that sounds like noise and distortion while driving my LS 50 Metas. If some people want a coloration, they're welcome to have one, not me. I don't put sugared, flavored syrups in my espresso either.

Octo also makes a two channel version of the DAC which is even quieter, not that you or anyone else would notice any audible difference.