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Looking for an used, inexpensive pre amp

Currently using a cheap but fairly nice sounding Dayton T120 D class amp.  Not enough inputs.  I would like to find a pre amp to use with this amp and perhaps at some point, if I can find the money, I can buy a power amplifier to replace the Dayton.

Figure my budget to be under $200 right now.  Looks like plenty of older inexpensive Solid State pre amps are available on Ebay.  

Any ideas what I should look for when buying a preamp?  I've only used Integrated amplifiers up to this point.  
will62
timlub
2,039 posts
 
A Sumo Athena can be had for $200 to $300.  It is better than any Adcom other than the GFP-750... You could find an Old B&K for that price or as mentioned above,  a decent passive could be found in that price range.

I suspect,  this sounds pretty good.  I'm familiar with this volume controller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PGA2311-Stero-Remote-Volume-Controller-audio-Preamp-pre-amplifier-with-MUTE-/141447354247?hash=item20eeeb5787:m:mcHZDPREyeAV4jRgjH4f4FA
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
I did not like the SYS 2-input passive and returned it.  To be fair I auditioned it against a tube pre-amp 
dayglow
1,728 posts
 
$200 will not buy much unless you find a desperate  or ignorant seller. An Amber FF-17 is a decent vintage preamp (owned one in the mid 80's) that might go for $200? A Yamaha CX-1 , Sony E80/90ES or Proceed PRE are very nice newer preamps that could go for around $500.
allthatbach54
17 posts
 
email me.
dansaldivar at g mail dot com 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I did not like the SYS 2-input passive and returned it


Did you make sure first it was an impedance match with your source and poweramp?
What is the output impedance of your source and input impedance of your poweramp.
As those that did, love it, and there's always the $349 Saga which has active tube output if the impedance's aren't right.
 
Cheers George
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