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Preamp Recommendations?

WoogieSolo

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Hey guys. I'm in the market for a new preamp. I am leaning towards a hybrid or tube preamp. I would be pairing it with class D balanced mono-blocks, driving 4 ohm nominal speakers, and my main source would be my DAC. I don't need a phono stage etc.
My budget would be about $1,500. I've definitely come across the Schiit Freya+. With my budget, what else should I be considering? Thanks for any replies ; )
 

ta240

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You may not get a lot of suggestions here as any distortion is seen as evil here; even if some people enjoy the sound/distortion of tubes.
Do you already have the amps?
Even though I have tube amps I don't have any experience with preamps (although this amp has always been quite tempting http://rogueaudio.com/Products_sphinx.htm ) so I'm not much help either besides a warning of:
iu
 
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W

WoogieSolo

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You may not get a lot of suggestions here as any distortion is seen as evil here; even if some people enjoy the sound/distortion of tubes.
Do you already have the amps?
Even though I have tube amps I don't have any experience with preamps (although this amp has always been quite tempting http://rogueaudio.com/Products_sphinx.htm ) so I'm not much help either besides a warning of:
iu
Well I appreciate the effort ! I do already have the amps, and everything else. This would be my first foray into tube equipment. I like the idea of the Schiit Freya+, because I could so easily ABx the stages and definitively know what I'm hearing.
I hadn't heard of Rogue before, so that's definitely something for me to look at.
 

tmtomh

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Schiit Freya S also measures quite well and is only $599.
 

Feanor

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Well I appreciate the effort ! I do already have the amps, and everything else. This would be my first foray into tube equipment. I like the idea of the Schiit Freya+, because I could so easily ABx the stages and definitively know what I'm hearing.
I hadn't heard of Rogue before, so that's definitely something for me to look at.
I ordered a Freya + a couple of days ago, (they are out of stock 'till August 7th).

Whether you should try tubes or not depends on what you want. If you want the utmost fidelity to what's on the recording, the most detail, clarity, and the like, get a preamp with the minimum distortion that you can afford: a Benchmark LA4, or for much less a Gustard P26 or Schiit Freya S -- or if you're plutocrat, an MBL N11. If you want (a) euphonic sound, (b) smoothing of a bright or harsh downstream power amp, and/or (c) easing of the harshness or brightness of some recordings, then a tube preamp might be the right course.

Beware that tube preamps can sound very different from each other. I've had two so far the sounded very different from each other.
  • Sonic Frontiers Line 1 that was pretty solid state-like though it could produce that tube "holographic" soundstage depending on the tubes used
  • GlassWare Aikido DIY 12VDC that was very pleasant but thoroughly unnaturals in sound as well as less resolving, IMO.
Now I'm about to try a third tube preamp that will be a better balance.
 
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If you want (a) euphonic sound, (b) smoothing of a bright or harsh downstream power amp, and/or (c) easing of the harshness or brightness of some recordings, then a tube preamp might be the right course.

As an alternative POV:

(a) Music sounding like music?

(b) if so, sounds like the power amp should be replaced as opposed to spending potentially thousands on a bandaid

(c) Fewer and fewer recordings fit into this category in modern times. There can be an argument made that tubes benefit crappy recordings of yesteryear, and even harmonics helps “smooth out” those rough edges by adding noise and muddying detail that might otherwise sound “harsh.” I can appreciate folks still have old recordings they enjoy on vinyl, reel to reel, etc that may not be remastered or available for quality remastering. This would be the only reason I can see for attempting to color the sound of a recording, albeit a very expensive reason and often poorly implemented.

All things being equal, I’d rather spend equal $ on modern (more advanced, more power efficient, less distorted and safer) tech and remastered recordings than the glass ceiling
 

Harmonie

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As an alternative POV:
(b) if so, sounds like the power amp should be replaced as opposed to spending potentially thousands on a bandaid


Interesting.
What kind of power amp then ? What class ? A, A+B or would you go for a modern D class ?
 

win

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Join the Freya+ waiting list. I've been on it since early June when the back order said 6/17, then it was 7/17, and now I see it's aug 7.

hopefully the shorter date pushback implies a more concrete back order fulfillment.
 

win

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I like the idea of the Schiit Freya+, because I could so easily ABx the stages and definitively know what I'm hearing.

not sure it will be so easy. The tube mode involves a warmup period, and the gain on it is significant to where doing a back and forth will be difficult. Add to that the volume clicks from the stepped relay volume, and it's really not going to be a good blind testing vehicle.
 

Wes

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a really old used Audio Research might be fun - it will be more tubey sounding than the new ones and will fit your budget, not to mention the street cred of the looks, switches and control functions

there is a market for them, so you can find one, use it then resell

same for Conrad Johnson
 

Dzhaughn

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Get a Freya S and a DSP. You can program the DSP to simulate the tube sound, and repurpose it later for Room eq when you realize the error of your ways.

:)
 
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Interesting.
What kind of power amp then ? What class ? A, A+B or would you go for a modern D class ?

If I were to buy a new power amp(s), I’d be looking into the Class D Purifi / Hypex designs.

There are a ton of very good Class AB amps out there as well that don’t need to be paired with an effects box to sound good.
 

raindance

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What Class D amps do you have? A lot of pretty good ones these days have an input impedance that's far too low for a tube preamp.
 

Feanor

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...
(c) Fewer and fewer recordings fit into this category in modern times. There can be an argument made that tubes benefit crappy recordings of yesteryear, and even harmonics helps “smooth out” those rough edges by adding noise and muddying detail that might otherwise sound “harsh.” I can appreciate folks still have old recordings they enjoy on vinyl, reel to reel, etc that may not be remastered or available for quality remastering. This would be the only reason I can see for attempting to color the sound of a recording, albeit a very expensive reason and often poorly implemented.
...

When I peruse my collection, (mostly Classical music), I find I have a fairly high proportion of "crappy recordings of yesteryear". It's true, though, that newer recordings tend to be better.
 

Harmonie

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Can above posts #11 & 19 indicate that vinyl, "crapy" recordings and smoothing edges devices do in fact relay us to past and surely somewhat different emotions ? I agree that today's dacs reveal pleasantly more details.
 
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