Berning and Supratek

84,
I have not done the Supratek....yet. But I plan to try a preamp with my Gryphon Callisto in the HT pass through. I tried a cj which was a great pre, but the sad truth is that the matching wasn't as good as the built in microprocessing pre that is in the Callisto.
A friend has a Gryphon Pre that ran about $10K back in '91, and he is bringing it over to see if it improves the perfectly matched pre that is already there. If it does, well I think I am going to trust in my five emails to Mick and buy the Sauvignon. Tubes are magic, and I only hope that the combination of tubes with the Gryphon amp will sound good.
I know of, and have hear your model Berning, and it is a beautiful sounding amp, if they mate, I am feeling that it will knock your lights out. You may want to email Mick at Supratek, or David at Berning and ask them about the matching/input output. Of course if Berning says it will improve your sound, he might hurt his position in that he touts the direct feed is the best method, and that a pre is not necessary.
I have this feeling about the Supratek that I haven't had since I first saw the Gryphon back in 1990. They, although, they look different, have the same appeal, in that you can't help but believe that they are wonderful pieces of gear. Plus, there is always somebody out there ready to take a product or person down just for grins, but nobody...nobody has had one bad thing to say about Supratek or Mick. Good Luck. With Bobby's Merlins you have the makings of a great system.
Larry R. Staples

Tube,
Thanks for the info.
I made a passing comment about the Merlin's lack of deep bass, not that it did not do bass. Even Bobby would admit that the impact in the lower region is a little light. In a fairness, rooms, distance from the rear wall, cables as you pointed out make vast differences.
One of my jobs at THIEL was to help dealers optimize sound of their systems, something that many were poor at. I have years of experience in that relm, but in all honesty, what I hear is more of a curse than a blessing sometimes. HA!
I probably like the heavy handed side of bass rather than the light side. I too value the dynamic contrasting that a great pre can bring to a system. Most pass through pres wimp out and give none of the dynamics that a great pre can bring. Mick said that the pre is the most important part of the equation, and I don't disagree, except of course for speakers; which are alternately the best and worst part of the system.
I enjoy reading your comments, and find you to be fair and reasonable, and most knowledgeable. It is obvious to me since I have been in the business for 20 plus years and been in more than 100 stores, and in the labs with designers, just how much some of these respondants really do know, and or don't know. But hey in cyberspace everyone can voice opinions.
Thanks for the data, and I look forward to your posts.
Larry R. Staples