Lamm would be better with a few modifications. Their potentiometers are trash, for example.
Really, stepped TKD trash ? It is the whole sum of parts not one part. With no more than .03% distortion overall, that .03% must be the TKD then. BTW both Kondo and Audio Note use them as well.
charles
I agree Charles, TKDs are great, whether stepped or not. Nobles are also excellent. My 11A used both Nobles and TKDs and the output was a perfect reproduction of the input signal via special setup listening tests, so obviously there were no problems with the TKDs or Noble volume controls. Advantage is continous adjustment as well.
DeHavilland Ultra verve was also a near perfect preamplifier (don't know the NOS tubes she was using though). Herron is also a superior quality preamplifier. One would be wise to strongly consider these.
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If I can tout my own products, such as the 10A line preamplifier, which was one of only three listed in the Bound for Sound "Components of Merit". Here is what Rich Weiner (BFS) had to say.
Rich Weiner: "The SAS 10A is the most musically truthful preamp I'm aware of, and I will expand that statement by listing some of the line stages I've had in my otherwise very stable system: Herron VTSP-1, VAC CPA III, VAC Standard LE, Audio Research 3A, ARC 8, ARC 10, Mark Levinson ML-1, Levinson ML-7, Levinson ML-10A, Original Aronov PS-100 and Musical Concepts modification, Nagra PL-P, Beveridge RM-1, Rappaport, Placette Passive - there are more, but you get the point. Until I got the 10A, I struggled to make the other components live up to their potential."
He used 15 grand 300b monoblocks.
The 10A has been Rich's reference preamp for over 4 years. In fact, he was able to hear the recording studio wall reflections in some recordings which he had never heard before. I was there and saw his and his wife's amazement. That is true inner detail, not artificial by using distortion.
However, Richard and Martin both purchased 11A preamplifiers as their reference preamplifier, and still have them because they were so perfect. By the way Bound for Sound took no advertising.
Here are a couple of other personal reviews of the 11A.
Graham: "I took the B11a into a shop in Auckland. I know the owner fairly well, and we agree that Shindo make some wonderful pieces of kit. (I wasn't looking for a change!) Almost immediately we started listening, he said "That's really fast!" We also agreed that the B11a was much clearer, making the Shindo Aurieges sound slow, muddy, and coloured."
Bob: "Hey guys. . .if anyone's interested, I'm selling my Tram 2 preamp since my SAS B11A is so awesome...." (Tram 2 uses 45, 2A3s)
Oh, the 10A was going for $1895.00 and the 11A was going for $2995.00, so no breaking of the bank. Very rarely, I have seen used 10A for $800.00, if you can find one for sale.
Cheers
steve