"Pre-amps 101"

[Emil]

The old "bird in the hand......"

At your price point you can buy new with return privileges.

http://www.pacificvalve.us/Doge8.html

http://www.sasaudiolabs.com/home.htm

Both of these are well reviewed. Heard the SAS10 myself and if you dont want to depart to far from the Naim sound you should give this a listen

my 2 cents

[StereoNut]

Thanks, Emil!  I'll check these links out. 

[rajacat]

I've never heard the Tram2 - DHT OTL Linestage but it would be one that I'd consider if I was in the market for a new pre.
http://www.diyhifisupply.com/node/808
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0810/diy_hifi_supply_tram_mk2.htm

[StereoNut]

Emil

FWICS, the SAS Audio Labs pre's (10A or 11A) run between $1600.00 and $3200.00.  The Doge 8 is between $1525.00 and $1715.00 depending upon the tubes ordered with it.  All are over budget for me, although the Doge 8 ($1525.00 with stock tubes) is probably do-able because I wouldn't have to buy an outboard phono stage. 

Very interesting possibilities.

Thanks!
Bill

[bpape]

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-jolida-music-envoy-preamp-with-phono-stage-2012-11-01-preamplifiers-19464-sanatoga-pa

Well within your price range, responds well to tube rolling, easily modified to improve performance if desired, built in phono.

Another option is the Transcendent Grounded Grid - $899 assembled, $499 as a kit.  No phono but plenty of budget left to get something decent

http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent/Transcendent_Sound_Grounded_Grid_Preamp.html

I have one that Rich built and had some nicer parts in.  With good (not silly expensive) tubes, I was amazed at what it actually does.  A steal for the money with a few better parts if you can DIY.

Bryan

[lonewolfny42]

I've heard the SE model....a nice preamp.


John in Long Beach has one......wonder how he made out with the storm...



http://www.ys-audio.com/ys-audio_eng.htm

http://www.ys-audio.com/a2.htm   ...Direct Price : USD$998

http://www.ys-audio.com/a2se.htm ....Direct Price : USD$1650

http://www.ys-audio.com/e_exp.htm


Audiogon... http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-ys-audio-experience-balanced-a2-line-preamplifier-new-version-1-5-2012-11-07-preamplifiers-hong-kong

[StereoNut]

Bryan
The Jolida is sold, but it does give me another pre to think about.  As far as the Transcedent goes, I never heard of them before now.  I will have to look into them further.

Chris
If the YS Audio pre that John has is the SE model, I've heard it.  Unfortunately, it didn't sound that good in my system. John was kind enough to bring it over, but it was one of the worst combinations we tried that afternoon.  And... before anybody gets all "twisted", I am NOT bashing John's YS pre. He was there with another friend and we all agreed that it sounded the way it did.

Matter of fact, John was so surprised at how bad his pre sounded at my place, he wanted to make sure everything was alright with it when he got it home!  He even called me that night to tell me everything was working fine with the YS pre back in his system. The YS pre just didn't have any synergy with the rest of my system. (BTW - I heard John's YS pre in his system a few weeks prior to hearing it at my house and it sounded real, real nice.)

Regardless, I appreciate your suggestions.  (Especially, since you'd have no idea that I've already had the chance to hear the YS.)

Thanks again to all!

P.S. to John: I hope you've survived the last two weeks of storms.  I owe you and a lot of other friends phone calls, except I lost my cell phone and don't have most of my phonebook saved any other place. 

[rpf]

I've heard the SE model....a nice preamp.


John in Long Beach has one......wonder how he made out with the storm...



http://www.ys-audio.com/ys-audio_eng.htm

http://www.ys-audio.com/a2.htm   ...Direct Price : USD$998

http://www.ys-audio.com/a2se.htm ....Direct Price : USD$1650

http://www.ys-audio.com/e_exp.htm


Audiogon... http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-ys-audio-experience-balanced-a2-line-preamplifier-new-version-1-5-2012-11-07-preamplifiers-hong-kong

John is okay. His apartment and car were trashed but he was able to move his stuff up high out of harms way. He's staying with a friend now and may stay with me for a while starting next week.

I've heard John's YS in his system and mine, where it sounded great. It did not work in Bill's with the amps that were used.

[StereoNut]

... I've heard John's YS in his system and mine, where it sounded great. It did not work in Bill's with the amps that were used.

Yes, I want to make my prior comments above clear.  John's YS pre just didn't have a good synergy in my system.  I heard it in his (John's) system prior to borrowing the YS and it sounded really, really good!

Thanks!

[opnly bafld]

SAS Audio Labs has a demo 10A on the "specials" page for $1300.

[StereoNut]

SAS Audio Labs has a demo 10A on the "specials" page for $1300.

Thanks, OB.   I've been in touch with Steve on that piece and I'm trying to work the details out.

T.B.C.

[rollo]

Do not forget Nightshade Audio. The Beacon is all that one needs. Dynamic with oddles of presence. Blair can match it to your Amp. Well under your budget and IMO real bng for the Buck. Starts at $900. Pm him at AC and find out what is available. Tell him I sent you. 
    Next up is Gary Dodd Audio. The preamp at RMAF was stunning in sonics. Battery powered, so no need for cords and conditioner.
   BTW did you rule out the Sonic Frontiers you heard ?


charles

[StereoNut]

Thanks for the reminder on Nightshade, Charles.  As far as Dodd Audio goes, I've heard (pardon the pun) good things about their stuff, but I'm not quite sure that I want to do the "battery/re-charge thing".

Out of the pre's I have tried with the Moscode 600 before it left the house for "sprucing up", I thought that Tom's Sonic Frontier sounded the best.  The only reason I didn't look for the same in the used market was because it was a line stage only.

Now (partially due to your and quite a few other's suggestions about not being locked into buying a pre-amp with a phono stage) I am considering line stages too.  To complicate things further, it's been brought to my attention (thanks, Emil! ) that I don't necessarily have to buy used in my budget to get a real decent pre-amp... so I am more confused than ever!

It's too bad there's not an "audio equipment library" that all of us crazies could "check out" gear from for home auditions until we find what we like the best in our own systems and then buy! 

[bpape]

Since you already have one piece of EE gear, maybe you'd like their preamp too - though it's $1100 retail with no phono.

This is a nice preamp and a steal at this price - http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-odyssey-candela-tube-linestage-pre-amp-with-remote-ht-bypass-2012-11-12-preamplifiers-91301

Bryan

[StereoNut]

Since you already have one piece of EE gear, maybe you'd like their preamp too - though it's $1100 retail with no phono.

This is a nice preamp and a steal at this price - http://app.audiogon.com/listings/tube-odyssey-candela-tube-linestage-pre-amp-with-remote-ht-bypass-2012-11-12-preamplifiers-91301

Bryan

Bryan

Another AN'er suggested a Eastern Electric Avant pre-amp, but after looking into it a bit further, it has way too many tubes (nine, I think?) for me to be very happy about the costs $$$ involved for re-tubing it down the line.

The used Odyssey looks interesting, but I know very little about it.  I'm also trying to get the specs of my Moscode 600 amp from George Kaye, so I can see what pre's match up properly re: input impedance (Z) and input signal voltage for full output (sensitivity) so I can narrow my search down a little.

In the meantime, I just hope I'm not making everybody else's head hurt as much as my own!   Then again, in the immortal words of John Mellancamp "... hurt's so good!" 

SN