Wow Tvad $15K is a lot of money. Have you heard the piece?
Review: Tube Research Labs Dude Tube preamp
Category: Preamps
This review is on the Dude tube preamp made by Paul and Brian Weitzel of Tube Research Labs (TRL). I purchased this preamp some 7 months ago direct from TRL which is how they market and sell them. The price is $3500. The unit has 5 tubes total with one 6sn7 tube per channel.
I am not a technical person and can only comment that the unit is very heavy, all point to point wired and contains a forest of caps the size of Red Bull and Coke cans!
The Dude also benefits from TRL’s newly designed power supply which is something very special indeed. It comes with two sets of outputs and three inputs – all RCA. I think Paul can work out XLR’s if you desire, but you would have to ask him. My unit has special wooden knobs which I prefer over his high quality gold ones.
The unit is turned on by a breaker switch on the back on the unit. The Dude does not incorporate any fuses, simply the breaker, for improved sound. The chassis is well built and solid in terms of fit and finish. While it is not eye candy, the Dude offers a simple attractiveness.
I must have over 700 hours on my unit by now and it is fully burned it. I have found this preamp responds very well to tube rolling. This review is based on the use of RCA 6sn7 GT’s ,VT231 with smoked glass. I picked up 6 of these for $130 on Ebay and just love them in the Dude. Paul likes Raytheon NOS’s, but I have not tried them as yet.
I like female vocals, Christian contemporary, jazz, piano and acoustic guitar instrumentals as well as some small ensemble Classical. You can also read my review of the TRL Samson amps for more information of my musical tastes.
As you have noticed I have owned and heard many great preamps over the years. The Dude has far outclassed each of them in virtually every important performance area. I particularly liked the Audio Horizons and Tube Distinctions preamps on my list. The Dude simply recreates real music in my home well beyond these other fine units.
The level of transparency is utterly shocking. Details and musical lines previously hidden now come alive and my music sounds brand new to me. I was amazed at all the instruments and notes I was missing in my recordings. What a revelation and joy to me as one into this hobby for 30 years.
Right now I am listening to solo acoustic guitar by Phil Keaggy and am consistently astounded with the additional pic, string and guitar body sounds completely hidden before. The sting plucks are so much more distinctive with every molecule of nuance presented to my senses. This is true at even the lowest of volumes on my system. Magic my friends and I mean magic!
I have never known any preamp to dig as deep, taunt and powerful in the bass region as the Dude. Bass has incredible impact, drive and articulation. Easily the best bass I have yet to encounter in a preamp. This tube preamp will shatter your preconceptions of tube preamp bass performance. Bass is no longer this vague sort of deep running tone, but rather a distinct and articulate portion of the whole performance.
Tonality is so beautiful and right. Not a hint of listener fatigue to be found. The massive amount of detail is delivered with exquisite beauty, body and soul. Don’t we all want that? The Dude does both in a way I felt was not even attainable. Tonality is vitally important to me. Voices have weight when they should. Like the guitar work nuances mentioned above the human voice is rendered absolutely and completely naked before you. You will hear aspects of your favorite vocalist you have never heard before. More air, more texture, more nuance, more personality – just amazing.
The Dude sets the stage big, wide and deep. First time I have heard stage depth so profoundly obvious. I now get a sense of what some reviewers mean by 3D! Life sized performance is a consistent attribute of the music flowing from this preamp.
I like to listen to very loud music at times. I like the live scale it gives the recording. The Dude is always in control and supremely poised. Nothing, no part of the audio spectrum is ever out of balance or forced. I hear a new standard of performance in terms of effortless, uncompressed music.
My system seems to have infinite room filling abilities. This is very, very important to me. Even at very loud settings music must flow not attack! The Dude is a complete gentleman in this regard.
Highs seem to have no ceiling or cap as they extend smoothly and without any hint of hardness. I am very sensitive to bright or hard highs and will quickly box up a unit if I hear a trace of it. Yikes! The Dude is a smooth operator and does so without robbing music of the precious detail and air we desire.
Well, I could go on much longer as the Dude is a revelation to me. It is the heart and soul of my current system and really makes everything sound so real and right.
I hope my words were able to convey what I experience with The Dude.
Have fun!
Associated gear
Please see my member system.
PBN Montana EPX custom speakers
TRL Modified Sony CD player/battery
TRL Samson amps
Audio Horizons cable
TRL Cables
Star Sound Sistrum stands
Echo Buster room treatments
SVS PB 12 Plus/2
Similar products
I have owned or had these preamps in my home system.
Audio Horizons TP2.1 fully loaded
Joule LA100 MKIII
Conrad Johnson LS16 V2
Thor 1000 MK2
Tom Evans Vibe
Supratek Cortese
Supratek Syrah
Audio Note m5
Wavac PR-X1
Rowland Concerto
Cary SLP98
Aesthetix Calypso
Tube Distinctions SoulMate
Placette passive
Wright Sound WLA 12A
Aloia 11.01
Belles 21A
Rogue 99
This review is on the Dude tube preamp made by Paul and Brian Weitzel of Tube Research Labs (TRL). I purchased this preamp some 7 months ago direct from TRL which is how they market and sell them. The price is $3500. The unit has 5 tubes total with one 6sn7 tube per channel.
I am not a technical person and can only comment that the unit is very heavy, all point to point wired and contains a forest of caps the size of Red Bull and Coke cans!
The Dude also benefits from TRL’s newly designed power supply which is something very special indeed. It comes with two sets of outputs and three inputs – all RCA. I think Paul can work out XLR’s if you desire, but you would have to ask him. My unit has special wooden knobs which I prefer over his high quality gold ones.
The unit is turned on by a breaker switch on the back on the unit. The Dude does not incorporate any fuses, simply the breaker, for improved sound. The chassis is well built and solid in terms of fit and finish. While it is not eye candy, the Dude offers a simple attractiveness.
I must have over 700 hours on my unit by now and it is fully burned it. I have found this preamp responds very well to tube rolling. This review is based on the use of RCA 6sn7 GT’s ,VT231 with smoked glass. I picked up 6 of these for $130 on Ebay and just love them in the Dude. Paul likes Raytheon NOS’s, but I have not tried them as yet.
I like female vocals, Christian contemporary, jazz, piano and acoustic guitar instrumentals as well as some small ensemble Classical. You can also read my review of the TRL Samson amps for more information of my musical tastes.
As you have noticed I have owned and heard many great preamps over the years. The Dude has far outclassed each of them in virtually every important performance area. I particularly liked the Audio Horizons and Tube Distinctions preamps on my list. The Dude simply recreates real music in my home well beyond these other fine units.
The level of transparency is utterly shocking. Details and musical lines previously hidden now come alive and my music sounds brand new to me. I was amazed at all the instruments and notes I was missing in my recordings. What a revelation and joy to me as one into this hobby for 30 years.
Right now I am listening to solo acoustic guitar by Phil Keaggy and am consistently astounded with the additional pic, string and guitar body sounds completely hidden before. The sting plucks are so much more distinctive with every molecule of nuance presented to my senses. This is true at even the lowest of volumes on my system. Magic my friends and I mean magic!
I have never known any preamp to dig as deep, taunt and powerful in the bass region as the Dude. Bass has incredible impact, drive and articulation. Easily the best bass I have yet to encounter in a preamp. This tube preamp will shatter your preconceptions of tube preamp bass performance. Bass is no longer this vague sort of deep running tone, but rather a distinct and articulate portion of the whole performance.
Tonality is so beautiful and right. Not a hint of listener fatigue to be found. The massive amount of detail is delivered with exquisite beauty, body and soul. Don’t we all want that? The Dude does both in a way I felt was not even attainable. Tonality is vitally important to me. Voices have weight when they should. Like the guitar work nuances mentioned above the human voice is rendered absolutely and completely naked before you. You will hear aspects of your favorite vocalist you have never heard before. More air, more texture, more nuance, more personality – just amazing.
The Dude sets the stage big, wide and deep. First time I have heard stage depth so profoundly obvious. I now get a sense of what some reviewers mean by 3D! Life sized performance is a consistent attribute of the music flowing from this preamp.
I like to listen to very loud music at times. I like the live scale it gives the recording. The Dude is always in control and supremely poised. Nothing, no part of the audio spectrum is ever out of balance or forced. I hear a new standard of performance in terms of effortless, uncompressed music.
My system seems to have infinite room filling abilities. This is very, very important to me. Even at very loud settings music must flow not attack! The Dude is a complete gentleman in this regard.
Highs seem to have no ceiling or cap as they extend smoothly and without any hint of hardness. I am very sensitive to bright or hard highs and will quickly box up a unit if I hear a trace of it. Yikes! The Dude is a smooth operator and does so without robbing music of the precious detail and air we desire.
Well, I could go on much longer as the Dude is a revelation to me. It is the heart and soul of my current system and really makes everything sound so real and right.
I hope my words were able to convey what I experience with The Dude.
Have fun!
Associated gear
Please see my member system.
PBN Montana EPX custom speakers
TRL Modified Sony CD player/battery
TRL Samson amps
Audio Horizons cable
TRL Cables
Star Sound Sistrum stands
Echo Buster room treatments
SVS PB 12 Plus/2
Similar products
I have owned or had these preamps in my home system.
Audio Horizons TP2.1 fully loaded
Joule LA100 MKIII
Conrad Johnson LS16 V2
Thor 1000 MK2
Tom Evans Vibe
Supratek Cortese
Supratek Syrah
Audio Note m5
Wavac PR-X1
Rowland Concerto
Cary SLP98
Aesthetix Calypso
Tube Distinctions SoulMate
Placette passive
Wright Sound WLA 12A
Aloia 11.01
Belles 21A
Rogue 99
312 responses Add your response
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Tvad, the Dude is very transparent and brings out inner detail that I had always missed. I would also say it is most neutral. I feel the Dude plays music as it is recorded and I never hear one consistent "type" of sound from recording to recording as with other preamps I have owned. The Dude plays music with full impact and scale (at least as well as I have heard any piece of electronics do). It sounds utterly uncompressed or strained and full of life. That would be the difference between the Dude and other highly detailed and transparent preamps I have heard. This to me is more like great sounding live music. I do think your spot on in regards to personal preferences and would also add system matching. |
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Tvad, you stated: "Don't know the goal of the Dude, but if it's other than absolute transparency (and from owner's comments it seems that this is true), then a comparison would be apples to oranges..." I don't think that statement holds water. I would presume that most pre-amp designers have the same goal in mind: an accurate auditory illusion. Transparency is only one attribute in a long list. From my conversations with Paul Weitzel and in my own experience of the Dude, it is fast and dynamic with no hint of compression (high bandwidth creature) but at the same time capturing the subtle nuances of music such as timbre. "sounds like a comparison would be useful for some listeners, although the price points are so far apart I am dubious that most potential Dude buyers would be seriously considering the VRE-1 as an option...." That is also untrue. There are Dude owners with 100K+ tube amps in the chain, so $ is not always relevant. I think some sort of shootout in the greater Los Angeles area would be enjoyable and educational. I know there are Dude owners in the area who would play ball. Tvad, I noticed that you recently sold an Audio Note pre-amp. Why the change? I also remember you owning top of the line Atma-sphere in the past. How may pre-amps have you been through in the last five years and what is missing in the units you have owned thus far? |
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Hey folks, about to order a Dude before the price increases in October. I've seen photos here of the black and gun-metal gray units. Anyone have any other colors of anodizing that TRL offers they can forward me? I'm leaning toward blue, red, or basic black but want to see what you have selected. Thanks. |
Over the years I learned one thing: It is useless to try to teach people that there is a great product available. Even when items like Dude are clearly superior, some people just won't agree (here I am not referring to any poster here but talking about some of the morons I have met recently in real-life). In direct comparison with Charlie's X-2 ( my best pre-amp before the Dude; both are very very close, with Dude being my marginal preference) as well as the Dude. Both the X-2 and Dude blew away some of the commercial pre-amps (I do not want to name them here because their ownsers get offended as if their manhood is being challenged). So I ask myself: Who am I to teach? Why should I insist even when in direct comparison the Dude is obviously and overwhelmingly better (even admitted by the owners of the other pre-amps). Let them enjoy inferiors sound that they have. But one cannot stop wondering why these people, even after listening to it and admitting it is better, would still go after junk and more expensive pre-amps instead of the Dude. May be it is the pride of ownership or the pride of making one’s own decision (even when it is wrong) which takes precedence over the sound, or may be sound is not their priority but other factors are, or may be they are just morons. But since even morons have the right to make their own decisions, I do not insist. And that is fine as that is all this hobby is all about. So keep enjoying your poor sound, morons, hahahha Sorry for my little whining but I need to breathe it out too sometime. |
Sometimes you have to give up trying to convince certain people when something IS better sounding, it takes more time for changes and justifications. That's the thing with the big advertising and reviews. I can pretty much guarantee if we saw a copy of next months TAS or Stereophile and a Dude preamp graced the front cover, people would go crazy and TRL would have to hire a small crew to keep up with production. On the other hand, the price would increase and nearly everyone else WOULD be convinced, we'd just sit back and smirk. |
When I get back to Seattle I am going to pay P&B a visit and talk audio/Kingdom. They are very friendly and great to work with. There is much to learn from them and I feel I have much to give back but in another field. GD, I still crack up when you broke in on a someone's review of a pre amp and said it sucked and the Dude made it sound broken or something like that. I thought what a wise ass for doing that to this member that so loved his new pre amp. That got me thinking that you must have heard right to pop off like that so I wanted to hear for myself and bought the Dude. I am done with buying/selling pre amps and thank you I don't have to try 10 different pre amps to find what I hear in the Dude. You rock and I owe you one. Going to RMAF? If so I owe you a dinner/drink or organic salad. |
Gallant, I always loathed over your system, Apogees were my 1st real exposure to high-end back in the late 80's early 90's. I heard them and the Thiel CS-5I's with the Krell KSA & KMA monoblock series at the Golden Grammaphone in Ohio. Muralman1 is another big-time proponent with the Skinnies. BTW, I'm a bad preacher too, but so what, we're happy. |
Glory, many of us here have to thank and owe to those who preached. If it wasn’t for Andrew’s review and then Bill’s, Ryan’s and comments made by GD I think I’d be in a different place now and not enjoying the music the way I am right now. I’m sure others are following too. Thank you guys. I wish I could put into words the things I hear and the way I hear music now but I can’t, I tried once and I think it didn’t come out right so I better leave that to those who are good with words but I have to add that everything that had been said here about the Dude is true. |
Glory: You are correct about that comment made by me (see, that is another example of me being a bad preacher). It was not my intention to offend him but no matter how olitically correct you express it, if the other guy is gonna be pissed off then he will be pissed off. After that, the firework was hard to stop. Thank you for the kind offer. I would have loved to attend the RMAF but my work schedule does not permit me to do that. I and some other buddies from Texas plan to attend the CES though. Can we catch up then? |
Rx8man: "BTW, I'm a bad preacher too, but so what, we're happy" I believe if you want good sound, you have to be a good learner. I believe I am an excellent learner in my hobby and that is why I have a good sound. Muralman is preacher and not a learner. Personally, I like the guy but have never learned anything from his posts. |
Glory: You are correct about that comment made by me (see, that is another example of me being a bad preacher). It was not my intention to offend him but no matter how olitically correct you express it, if the other guy is gonna be pissed off then he will be pissed off. After that, the firework was hard to stop. Thank you for the kind offer. I would have loved to attend the RMAF but my work schedule does not permit me to do that. I and some other buddies from Texas plan to attend the CES though. Can we catch up then? |
Bug, the output tubes live right behind the face panel when the top is popped. Check in with Brian and Paul when you ready to do the deed. Make sure that the Dude has been unplugged and off for some time. Those monster caps hold a charge for some time and can be potentially dangerous if touched inadvertently (at least that's my understanding....) |
12SX7 Seems like others already know about it. I don't think these tubes will go the way of 6SN7's price wise anytime soon. They seem to be plentiful and not many circuits out there use the 12SN7/12SX7. It's not like its a direct replacement for the 6SN7 either. If I recall there was post I read where an Atma-Sphere MA-1 owner had the amps circuit modified to accept the tube. |
Tony, the Weitzels had concerns about the 12s going the way of the 6s and thus my impetus for relaying the info.... In the Dude output stage, the 12 is essentially a direct replacement. A minor mod is all this us required to accept the new voltage. According to the Weitzels, it is a 5 minute job for someone with technical know-how.... |
In the Dude output stage, the 12 is essentially a direct replacement. A minor mod is all this is required to accept the new voltage. If a minor mod is required to accept the new voltage, no matter how long it takes to make the change, it is not essentially a direct replacement. A direct replacement would be a simple tube swap IMO. We're talking about a tube for God's sake. This country was built on an economic system where prices of products are based on supply and demand. If people are worried about the price going up they should buy all they can when the price is low. Ever heard of the concept buy low, sell high. It's capitalism at its best. [SIDE NOTE: If I were a manufacturer building equipment that uses these tubes I'd be stockpiling them. That way they could look out for the best interests of their customers and protect them from the evil people who are going to inflate the prices to make huge profits when demand rises. If the manufacturer offers their customers the tubes on the cheap its possible they could help in the effort to keep the prices reasonable across the board]. I thought these forums were supposed to be about sharing information and experiences. Now we're talking about keeping things hush because we have concerns the price might go up if too many people know about it. Sounds like some type of exclusivity to me. I know a guy with a boat load of these tubes. He's going to be all smiles when he learns how valuable they're going to be. |
"If a minor mod is required to accept the new voltage, no matter how long it takes to make the change, it is not essentially a direct replacement. A direct replacement would be a simple tube swap IMO." So you are arguing semantics? Me no understand the point of that... "We're talking about a tube for God's sake. This country was built on an economic system where prices of products are based on supply and demand. If people are worried about the price going up they should buy all they can when the price is low. Ever heard of the concept buy low, sell high. It's capitalism at its best." a philosophical non sequitar. "[SIDE NOTE: If I were a manufacturer building equipment that uses these tubes I'd be stockpiling them. That way they could look out for the best interests of their customers and protect them from the evil people who are going to inflate the prices to make huge profits when demand rises. If the manufacturer offers their customers the tubes on the cheap its possible they could help in the effort to keep the prices reasonable across the board]." TRL has been generous enough to offer NOS 6SN7s with their Dudes. Their personal "stockpile" of tubes is diminishing and they are thus trying to replenish it. They have been disheartened by several recent trips to see old friends in the pacific northwest who had a bunch of these tubes and have now been picked clean by tube sellers. "I thought these forums were supposed to be about sharing information and experiences. Now we're talking about keeping things hush because we have concerns the price might go up if too many people know about it. Sounds like some type of exclusivity to me." True enough, but what is the relevance to you? You don't own one, but I think you need one. It has been clinically proven to lower blood pressure. Owning the Dude has real health benefits.... "I know a guy with a boat load of these tubes. He's going to be all smiles when he learns how valuable they're going to be." My point exactly.... |
I can buy new 6sn7's all day long for $25 each that sound quite good for my Dude. Not as good as the Marconi tubes, but very good still. My Dude really only has two 6sn7's that impact the sound. Only two, so I have no problem paying $100 set for tubes that will last many years? Topsel, Glad you like the Marconi tubes. I find they get tone better then the others I have tried. The Dude likes to be placed on a good stand or footers also. I use a Star Sound Sistrum stand. Lastly, Paul's TRL power cord is also very good on the Dude. Same wire as used inside the unit. Solid core copper and wonderful sounding. |
Kudos to Grannyring for stating the obvious and keeping things real. "If a minor mod is required to accept the new voltage, no matter how long it takes to make the change, it is not essentially a direct replacement. A direct replacement would be a simple tube swap IMO." The point is pretty simple but its clear you missed it. Not being argumentative, just stating that if a circuit mod is required it can't be considered a direct replacement. Think plug 'n play. "I thought these forums were supposed to be about sharing information and experiences. Now we're talking about keeping things hush because we have concerns the price might go up if too many people know about it. Sounds like some type of exclusivity to me." Being that you're a doctor maybe you should write me a prescription for one. Better yet, enroll me in a clinical trial program. That way I get one for free. In all seriousness I'm happy with what I have. If I know Paul The Dude isn't the end of the line either. I'm sure he'll be cooking up something even better in the future. "I know a guy with a boat load of these tubes. He's going to be all smiles when he learns how valuable they're going to be." Actually I was being sarcastic. He developed a circuit for a 6SN7 based tube amp a while back. When I asked him why he didn't use the 12SN7 or one of those variants I knew all I had to know about these tubes and while they're still sitting around his shop collecting dust. Again, Grannyring's post keeps it real. There are lots of really good 6SN7 tubes that are inexpensive and that sound very good. I have some lying around here myself since one of my amps uses them. I also have some really nice NOS tubes that I didn't pay an arm and a leg for but should reap a nice ROI if I decided to sell them. |
