Wife urging me to upgrade

[richidoo]

Bill, that's a nice preamp. I see they finally decided that a remote control volume does not hurt the sound quality. That used to be their excuse for not offering a remote control.

[StereoNut]

Bill, that's a nice preamp. I see they finally decided that a remote control volume does not hurt the sound quality. That used to be their excuse for not offering a remote control.

Thanks, Perfessor!  I've been lovin' the Primaluna in my system. Extremely well made, point-to-point wiring, no need for hard to find or expensive tubes and, yes a remote!

SN

[richidoo]

Output impedance of the Prima Luna is 3kOhm, so the amp's input impedance should be >30kOhm. Bill's Moscode amp has tube inputs so it is OK, but many SS amps are only 10k and some amps, like older Odysseys were only 8kOhm.

[rpf]

A Modwright, as has been suggested, would of course mate well with your amp. I owned the 9.0SE and the 36.5 (single box) and the former was very good while the latter was excellent.

The 36.5 in particular was very quiet and highly resolving. More so, as both my friend and I remember, than his ARC Ref 3 (in his system with Vandy 5As). It doesn't have a phone stage however, unlike the LS100 which has an optional MC.

A possible drawback if your Modwright amp and pre both have teflon caps is that the sound may be too smooth and slippery. But you possibly substitute some copper foil caps to balance it out.
.

[StereoNut]

Output impedance of the Prima Luna is 3kOhm, so the amp's input impedance should be >30kOhm. Bill's Moscode amp has tube inputs so it is OK, but many SS amps are only 10k and some amps, like older Odysseys were only 8kOhm.

Here's what I found on the Moscode 600, Rich

[StereoNut]

And the PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium Pre-Amplifier

Specifications
Gain: 12dB
Freq. Response: 4Hz-85kHz +/- 3dB
THD: Less than 1% at full power
S/N Ratio: 109 dB unweighted
Input Sensitivity: 200mV
Input Impedance: 100k Ohms
Output Impedance: 2800 Ohms
Power Consumption: 46 watts
Dimensions: 14.5 " x 8" x 15.5" (WxHxD)
Weight: 37.5 lbs
Inputs: 4 pair RCA / 1 pair HT bypass
Outputs: 2 pair RCA preamp outs / 1 pair RCA fixed tape out
Tube Compliment: 4 - 12AU7, 2 - 5AR4

[richidoo]

As expected with tube input stage, very high impedance...  247kOhms   

[StereoNut]

As expected with tube input stage, very high impedance...  247kOhms   

That's good, Rich.  'Cause I wouldn't know a kOhm if it jumped up and bit me!

SN

[jimbones]

A Modwright, as has been suggested, would of course mate well with your amp. I owned the 9.0SE and the 36.5 (single box) and the former was very good while the latter was excellent.

The 36.5 in particular was very quiet and highly resolving. More so, as both my friend and I remember, than his ARC Ref 3 (in his system with Vandy 5As). It doesn't have a phone stage however, unlike the LS100 which has an optional MC.

A possible drawback if your Modwright amp and pre both have teflon caps is that the sound may be too smooth and slippery. But you possibly substitute some copper foil caps to balance it out.
.

Slippery?! I know what smooth sounds like (good) slippery? I'm not so sure what that sounds like. I am definitely not going at it with a soldering iron. (Not that I am not capable with one I just don't want to get into mods at this time.)

[rpf]

A Modwright, as has been suggested, would of course mate well with your amp. I owned the 9.0SE and the 36.5 (single box) and the former was very good while the latter was excellent.

The 36.5 in particular was very quiet and highly resolving. More so, as both my friend and I remember, than his ARC Ref 3 (in his system with Vandy 5As). It doesn't have a phone stage however, unlike the LS100 which has an optional MC.

A possible drawback if your Modwright amp and pre both have teflon caps is that the sound may be too smooth and slippery. But you possibly substitute some copper foil caps to balance it out.
.

Slippery?! I know what smooth sounds like (good) slippery? I'm not so sure what that sounds like. I am definitely not going at it with a soldering iron. (Not that I am not capable with one I just don't want to get into mods at this time.)

Overly smooth, lacking texture. Might not be an issue with the LS100 with it's richer 6SN7s.

[jimbones]

there is a used 9.0 available but I don't think it would be a jump up. i think a 36.5 would be the minimum i would have to go to.

[richidoo]

That's good, Rich.  'Cause I wouldn't know a kOhm if it jumped up and bit me!

It might bite you if you don't understand it! Here is a quick lesson.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan03/articles/impedanceworkshop.asp

Input impedance (load) determines how much current the input requires to be driven without distortion. Output impedance (source) determines how much current the amplifier can deliver to a load.

To assure the amplifier has adequate headroom and the signal is transferred with no harm, the rule of thumb is that the input impedance should be 10x higher than the output impedance. The ratio of your preamp to amp is 100x    

Often, the best sounding tube preamp circuits have high output impedance, and that is fine because they are intended to drive tube amplifiers which have extremely high input impedance.

It is possible to make a tube output stage have a very low source impedance, like a White Follower circuit as used in Manley Shrimp with 50 ohms, same as an opamp. But they don't always sound as good as traditional tube circuits like cathode follower which has higher output impedance.

[rpf]

[quote author=jimbones
Slippery?! I know what smooth sounds like (good) slippery? I'm not so sure what that sounds like. I am definitely not going at it with a soldering iron. (Not that I am not capable with one I just don't want to get into mods at this time.)
[/quote]

Probably just require changing two coupling caps.

[Werd]

I have never had this in house but every time i hear it sounds awesome. And everytime i am in the mood to buy one there is never one available.

The copland 305

http://www.copland.dk/cta305/

[toobluvr]

Keep an eye on Canuck Audio Mart.  More likely to see Copland (and British / European) gear there.  I use a Copland hybrid integrated in my bedroom system on a pair of JM Reynaud Twins Signature.  It is excellent.