I just bought a used BAT VK-5i preamp and it totally changed the sound of my system for the better. Music now sounds like MUSIC, not CD's. It's amazing. I would most heartily suggest you try a good tube preamp. I got the BAT on Audiogon for about 1/2 of list ($4500 list) and it's the best thing I've done to my system, including many upgrades that cost more. Happy hunting.
introducing tube$ into my system
Hi, I just aquired a pair of Meadowlark Hot Rod Shearwaters. I've heard from many people, including Pat M @ Mdwlrk, that they sound their absolute best with tubes. Unfortunatley, or perhaps for my own good- funds are a little tight after the speaker purchase. So I'm hanging on to my Parasound HCA1000 (110W ss ). I've never owned a preamp, I've always just run my CD player right into the power amp. SO, I've decided to get a tube preamp. I'm getting the Antique Sound Labs AQ2004 (a little class A line preamp $300), with all the typical top end tubes caps & pots,... I'm hoping this is a good choice of units, and also hoping that it will, at a budget cost, give me some of that tube magic everyone talks about. What are the pros & cons of a tube-pre & ss power amp? Any info or advice would be appreciated.