Music First Audio Passive Magnetic Preamplifiers?

Yes, I think that the type of quality one can approach with the classic at ~3k is astounding with the copy classic...I'm not a fan of silver wiring so much :) though I have heard some silver sound quite good.

I'm sure the Bent Audio gear is extremely good as well but I have not been privy to it. I also once had the Bat Rex, absolutely no contest for the classic.

Regards....

I own the MFA copper classic and the MFA Reference. They are worth every penny IF you value sound. I have directly compared it to the latest Tube Research Labs $35k preamplifier and the classic walked away from that unit. I have also c impeded it to the $20k (latest version) Concert fidelity Pre ( which at this point is to my ears the finest active line stage I have heard) and while the Concert Fidelity was better than the Classic; the classic certainly was not embarrassed. The classic lost out also to the $24k audio research anniversary unit but again..., it was not an embarrassment. The latest Allnic with the upgraded transformers was no contest at all and that unit was $12k.

Value is in m opinion not just the sum of the parts, but also the intellectual property that went into a thing and also..., can I get that same sound and build quality somewhere else.

Now the Ref is just iin another league altogether and if you haven't heard it or been able to do real head to head comparisons in the same system at the same timel.., I would suggest you know not what you are talking about.

I have searched a long time for reference pieces and for me these two units are amongst the best I have heard.

I would rank as follows
Concert fidelity (latest) = MFA Reference 20k and 16k respectively
Audio Research Anniversary $24k
Karan reference mkII ~$21k
MFA Classic copper ~$2.9k

Oh yeah, my classic does NOT have the mk II transformers. I'm sending it back to MFA for the upgraded xformers and the remote option. Im also having a custom bypass switch installed so I can do comparisons more easily between different digital volume controls i.e. Pure music, Audiophileo....etc.

I built a passive for my bench testing of audio equipment Ive built (amplifiers and such) using shallco and roderstein mkII resistors. I had a buddy visit my uncle who was using my passive and he commented that it sounded exactly like the LSA. He owns the LSA but I have never heard the LSA with my own ears so i can't second his opinion. I can say that I would rather listen to my classic or Ref MFA units than the resistive passive I built :)

Honestly I'm not knocking the LSA but i probably will not go out of my way to audition it either. I love the fact that the MFA units will inherently convert a S.E. signal to a balanced signal as well.

Perhaps my uncles buddy will bring his LSA by one day in which case illl haul the classic over :)

Agear, none of the tests were blind. I do not understand the point of your statement that most "current gen" TRL gear is overseas, this "current gen" TRL gear is in Chicago:) As a former owner of both the GT 200 mono blocks and the GTP 2 preamp (TRL) I'm very familiar with this gear. 

The Pre was the (if I recall correctly) GT4 but I will check with my uncle tomorrow (and I assure you the Pre and the 300 watt TRL monoblocks are right here in the good old USA :) The comparison was performed at my Uncles place with me having taken my MFA units to his house as we often do shootouts at his place do to his dedicated listening room, plus the fact that I'm younger and it is much easier for me to haul gear :)

Hi Teajay, it's my uncle you are speaking of :) 

Oh, the preamp and amps mentioned (TRL) were made to order in the last year and a half I believe. Th GT4 unit is far above the TRL DUDE.

Everything eventually gets surpassed and while I thought my TRL gear was the best gear ever 10 years ago, I have owned and now own amps and preamps that flat out surpass that line of gear, however, YMMV :)

N37000, if those are still available, that is an AWESOME price and I would suggest people jump all over it :). I have sent a question to MFA concerning your' points, however, I think MFA is the finished product line entity if you will of S&B. I also am pretty sure they stopped selling their transformers to other parties.

I will update this thread with the answers I receive from MFA but thanks for the info :)

Clio09 i believe you are correct air oall points. Here is the response I received from Harry at MFA/S&B in response to N37000's post;

Thank you for your message.
 
Yes, the S&B TVCU is still available. This uses a more basic transformer than the TX102 used in the MFA Classic Preamplifier, but it's performance is still very good. We also offer this with the TX102 transformer upgrade at £1100.00 GBP.
 
We do not supply our TX102 transformers to any other other companies and we have not done so for at least five years. Therefore, either this person is mistaken or the transformers are not genuine.
 
I hope this helps.
 
Many thanks and very best regards
 
Harry

My Baby Ref arrived yesterday 8/1/2012 and right out of the flight case it sounded wonderful. I know that Harry did some burn-in for me at the factory for which I am grateful. I have put about 20 hours on the b-ref at this point. Early comparisons to the ref reveal the b-ref to sound slightly sweeter but not quite as detailed/mature. The ref is very detailed while still being a full bodied and beautiful sounding pre-amp. I have no doubt that as the b-ref burns in it will settle down and develop all the detail that the ref displays. Please don't misunderstand, the b-ref is very very very detailed and sounds absolutely stunning, but the ref probably has over a 1000 hours on it at this point therefore it is very settled.

I am profoundly happy with my purchase of the b-ref because as you all know it is not an inexpensive piece of gear. If you have been dreaming of the refs sound but can't or don't want to swing for the extra coin.., I can honestly say you will NOT be missing out on anything sound-wise should you opt for the b-ref.

I will be back with more information after the b-ref has about 3- 500 hours on its coils :)

Agear it is pretty cool that we ran nearly the same comparisons with some fairly esoteric gear. What variant of the Concert Fidelity were you listening to and where did you perform the testing with the 3 units ARC Anniversary, Concert Fidelity and TRL? 

What we heard with these units vs the GTP4 did not leave much room for interpretation. It (GTP4) simply fell by the wayside, so i find it all the more iteresting that you say the mid level preamp was better than the CF and the ARC. 

Interestingly enough, if memory serves, i liked my former GTP2 (when paul used 3 paralleled 6sn7 tubes per channel) more than the GTP4 which I am pretty sure is using the 6AS7 tubes.

I found that Pre (GTP4) to be a bit soft and lacking in weight and force. Interestingly I noted a lack of transient or leading edge snap with the GTP4. I say interesting because it lends creedance to something written by Bruce Rozenblit of Transcendent Audio fame in which he described his NOT choosing that particular tube (6AS7) for his OTL amps for that very reason. He stated that with the 6AS7 he found it lacked the ability to produce the leading edge transient satisfactorily quote, "Tests were run with the 6AS7 and it was found to be unable to produce the sharp transient attack required for the best performance". 

Now having written this, I have not heard the ~5k Dude and i have no idea what tube compliment it uses. Perhaps it is better than the GTP4.., but for roughly $30k less it probably should not be :)

Best regards

Exactly Clio09, best active line stage I have listened to to-date :)

Agear (Brian Weitzel / Jack Seaton) it's ok... I know you want to support you brother Paul but to say that his 35k GTP4 was a mistake now that others have supported my findings is going to tick a lot of customers of that unit off.

Either way, we all have our own tastes and likes. For me..., the MFA and CF units smoked the TRL GTP4 which according to Paul (or rather what youve reported  your brother as having stated)  was a mistake in the making thus perhaps proving the statement I made in the first place. I know nothing of old unobtanium 230 pound preamps :) I have seen that unit before as i believe one was offered on Agon about a year ago back or so. 

I also remember Paul telling me that the GTP2 was better than that unit. 

But hey again I started this thread to talk about my listening impressions of some very fine very modern preamps. Trust me guys the ARC Anniversary the Concert Fidelity the Karan and the MFA are absolutely world class.