AudioNervosa
Systemic Development => Amplification and Preamplification => Topic started by: Nick B on July 26, 2018, 10:00:07 AM
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I’ve been looking at preamps for a long time and have considered pres like the K & K mir,
Allnic L3000 mk2, Cary SLP 98 and Herron VTPH 3a. Our own Charles Rollo has stated on a
number of occasions that the Audio Hungary 204 is a superb preamp and great value for the
money (it retails for $2,000). I had never heard of this company, but started reading up on it
and looking at some YouTube videos. The idea of buying a foreign product and one that I hadn’t
heard of wasn’t very appealing.
But the more I looked at the other products and their pricing, the more interested I became in
the 204. I also sent some emails to the company and received prompt responses. Charles has
access to great equipment while I don’t. So his comments, for me, were very much worth
paying attention to.
I finally took the plunge and it arrived a few days ago. The packaging was meticulous
and the build quality was superb. It has a very comfortable remote and even has material on the
underside ..maybe leather...so that it doesn’t scratch a wood finish for example or make a
sound like my metal Antelope dac remote when I put it on my glass coffee table.
Right out of the box, it sounded very good. So good, in fact, that I emailed Charles to ask if
AH did some break in on these. Sure enough, they put 100 hours on them at the factory.
The 204 has a very natural and engaging sound and is a perfect complement to the ICE amp
and Border Patrol dac. It resolves very nicely and is enticing and fun to listen to. I’ve been listening
to new stuff on Tidal for the last few days, but I’d say the soundstage has widened a bit as well.
I will be considering adding a Synergistic Blue fuse....the latest that Charles likes.
So I’m very, very pleased with this purchase and I got a very nice discount as well 👍....thanks Charles.
My only nitpick is it has an annoying white led, just like my Antelope dac. Maybe it’s time for a
blue marker :)
I highly recommend this unit and it has an internal phono stage as well!
Nick
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Thanks for the kind words. So happy you like it. Enjoy !!
charles
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
Sounds like a nice idea. Have you used them?
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
Sounds like a nice idea. Have you used them?
Yes, I use them on EVERYTHING :thumb:
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
Tom,
I had no idea these thingys existed. What a great solution. Some leds are flat and others are rounded. Will these kind of work on the rounded ones?
Nick
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Easier than soldering in a resistor! :thumb:
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
Tom,
I had no idea these thingys existed. What a great solution. Some leds are flat and others are rounded. Will these kind of work on the rounded ones?
Nick
They give you all different shapes, so yes. Also, you can double them up to go even darker if you choose. My Apple TV has a searing bright white LED. I put 3 of them on it, and no longer a problem 8)
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
I just went to the Amazon link...
You can get this with "Expert Installation" for $129.59... :shock:
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
I just went to the Amazon link...
You can get this with "Expert Installation" for $129.59... :shock:
I may have a new career!
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For ALL my gear the LED'S are covered with felt or colored with a marker. I have, blue,white and red LED. :D
charles
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
I just went to the Amazon link...
You can get this with "Expert Installation" for $129.59... :shock:
Amazon is funny with some of these add on services.
I recently ordered a package of Chinese Sky Lanterns. These are basically paper hot air ballons. You lite a fuel soaked fiber wick in the bottom of the bag and it fills with hot air and floats off into oblivon. Aboslutely a single use item.
When I purchased the package of them I got an offer asking if I wanted to buy a two year extended warranty for them. :roll:
I also once got an offer to buy a two years extended warranty for $4.00 on an item I was purchasing for $1.99. :shock:
Go figure.
That said, this looks like an interesting idea. I just ordered a pack.
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I also once got an offer to buy a two years extended warranty for $4.00 on an item I was purchasing for $1.99. :shock:
Somehow that makes my upcoming car warranty extension seem a little better value, since it's only 15% of the original price. :rofl: :roll:
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
I just went to the Amazon link...
You can get this with "Expert Installation" for $129.59... :shock:
Amazon is funny with some of these add on services.
I recently ordered a package of Chinese Sky Lanterns. These are basically paper hot air ballons. You lite a fuel soaked fiber wick in the bottom of the bag and it fills with hot air and floats off into oblivon. Aboslutely a single use item.
When I purchased the package of them I got an offer asking if I wanted to buy a two year extended warranty for them. :roll:
I also once got an offer to buy a two years extended warranty for $4.00 on an item I was purchasing for $1.99. :shock:
Go figure.
That said, this looks like an interesting idea. I just ordered a pack.
Update:
Ordered the Dims via Amazon Prime and they arrived promptly in two days.
(http://)
What a great product. I have a Monster HTS 3500 Power Center that has red , yellow and blue LED status lights. The red and yellow are fine, but the single blue LED is just piercing it is so bright. When I listened with all of the room lights off except the salt lamps (which in the House of the Vampire is the ONLY way to listen to DSOTM 8)) the blue LED was so annoying I ended up having to lean a CD case in front of the 3500 to block it.
But one single dot from the LightDims sheet and the blue LED is now no longer any brighter than the rest of the LEDs. That single dot alone justified the purchase of the whole set for me.
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Glad to hear it worked for you :thumb:
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Nick,
"Dims" are your friend for those pesky bright LEDs 8)
https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW (https://www.amazon.com/LightDims-Original-Strength-Electronics-Appliances/dp/B009WSJNCW)
I just went to the Amazon link...
You can get this with "Expert Installation" for $129.59... :shock:
Amazon is funny with some of these add on services.
I recently ordered a package of Chinese Sky Lanterns. These are basically paper hot air ballons. You lite a fuel soaked fiber wick in the bottom of the bag and it fills with hot air and floats off into oblivon. Aboslutely a single use item.
When I purchased the package of them I got an offer asking if I wanted to buy a two year extended warranty for them. :roll:
I also once got an offer to buy a two years extended warranty for $4.00 on an item I was purchasing for $1.99. :shock:
Go figure.
That said, this looks like an interesting idea. I just ordered a pack.
This past weekend, I was picking up some toothbrush heads at Target for the ole Oral B 'lectric brush, and was asked whether I wanted to purchase a protection plan on that item. Odd... guess it's all about add on "services" these days.
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Good to know Nick. Yes that blue light is not a good thing for our eyes or brains. IMHO ALL on/off lights should be on back of component with on/off switch. :duh
charles