Don Sachs 2 vs. deHavilland Ultraverve 3

gotog, Thanks for your comments! Sounds like you have a great taste in music ;-] . It seems strange to me that there is no way for the user to know where he is on the volume ladder of the UV – but I’m sure there is some reason for that design choice, and perhaps I am in the minority desiring such a feature?  I hear you regarding complimenting my gear and room. It’s tough to know how something will sound before actually installing it so it is very helpful hearing other members’ experiences.

jsm71, I appreciate your observations and thoughts.  I have heard how responsive the deHavilland is to tube changes – interesting that it is possibly the nature of all (or most?) 6SN7 preamps.  I found your comments regarding coupling caps very intriguing. Perhaps my biggest goal is adding some of the “magic” that tubes can give but without creating any sense of veil or haze. (I don’t want to reduce any high end as my speakers are already pretty smooth). I’m pretty uninformed regarding caps. I know there are different kinds and brands but don’t grasp the concept of minimizing or eliminating them. Could you elaborate??

Swingfingers,
I am late to this post, but I have had Don's preamp from the beginning, getting the third one he made, after he upgraded my HK C-I, CII, and C-V's.  I have had two upgrades it over the past 4 years and it is back for the latest upgrades at the moment.   It is simply the most revealing preamp I have owned in 45 years of having good to great gear.  

I also have a McCormack DNA .05 amp, upgraded in 2015 to the Platinum version and it is exemplary.  It will be the last SS amp I will acquire.  Don has been adamant that his tube amp would be much better than the upgraded McCormack amp I have.  I always doubted that assertion as I prefer a tube preamp and a potent SS amp for LF extension.  

Well, I got a chance to audition Don's tube amp in my system recently and it took less than 30 seconds to reveal to my ears that Don's amp is even better that the McCormack.  Don's amp has all the balls in the LF as well as the high frequency extension, but the soundstage with Don's amp rendered a 3-sound stage, pretty much holographic, compared to the decidedly 2-dimensional sound stage with my McCormack amp.  Tonally, they were a push, but the air around the individual players was just palpable with Don's amp, recreating a music experience that was mesmerizing.  I have 12-ohm Spatial Audio M4 Triode Master speakers and I can tell you that these speaker love Don's tube amp.  It is alway about component matching, of course.  After hearing Don's amp in my system, I swiftly ordered one which I expect will arrive within a month.

Those of you that have 6SN7-based tube preamp might well experience a great degree of improvement in sound upgrading to the Shuguang Black Treasure tubes.  They are a dramatic improvement over the very good NOS Sylvania, GE's, etc, but of course, much pricier.     

Hi All,
A customer pointed out this thread to me.   I will just say that I have improved the line stage by about 10-15% in the past few months.   I have gone to a different output cap, a Polish made Duelund copy that is just mesmerizingly good.   Also, about a month ago I managed to adapt the preamp so it can take a 6BY5 rectifier and still use the 6X5GT or Bendix that it always could.  The 6BY5 adds an even richer and fuller tone.   All in all I would say the latest version is 10-15% better than it was a few months ago.

cheers,
Don