Exemplar Pre-amp rocks


I recieved John Tuckers Exemplar pre-amp last week, and after a 150 hours of burn in, the unit sounds wonderful. The soundstage is huge, wide, and deep. The layering is great, I can actually pick out all of the individual instruments, in my minds eye where the musicians are playing and where the vocals are coming from. Of course this is on well recorded pieces. This pre-amp is Extremely accurate and the extension thruout the audible spectrum is the best I have heard in my system. I love this pre-amp, and for the money I think it's a steal. I am using only digital sources, I have the APL SACD 1000 with his latest chip/volume control mod, but I feel the unit sounds better thru Johns pre-amp. I also have the Exemplar 2900, but just recieved it and am burning it in as I type. I have a custom pair of push pull amps with 2 NOS gold lion kt88's in each, plus a nos phillips metal base GZ34, along with Nos mullard 12ax7(driver), and nos amperex 12au7(phase splitter). I also switch the output tubes with WE 350B's for a lusher sound, and a bit more midrange. I am using Klipsch Cornwalls for now, and IMHO they are the BEST bang for the buck speakers out there, but they are totally revealing of the whole audio chain. Th exemplar pre-amp is an extraordniary peice of audio equipment for digital sources(no phono on this one)and helps me to get the best out of my system I would rate it a 10 out of 10 and highly reccomend it.

I cannot wait to hear this baby later this week when my Cardinal X1's get here, the sounstage should be even more holographic.
711smilin
Hi,

I've been reading as much as I can about this preamp as I can find. I had been considering others like the Supratek Syrah or Chenin, VAC Standard and First Sound Presence.

Does your Exemplar Exception II have the rough wood faceplate? I really like that look. For $3200, I'm assuming yours came with the remote and Siltech wire upgrades? What have you compared it to and how would you describe the sound?

Thanks!
Dean
Dean,

I cannot comment on the Exemplar vs. the pre's you are asking about. The best I have directly compared it too was a Thor TA1000 mk ii, and I felt the Exception II without the siltech, and volume control, buit with the pw Amperex E180CC, drew me into the music better, with a wider sounstage, and better imaging. Thus I bought it. My new one is at Ric's waiting for me to pick it up.

Email me your # so we can talk.