2. amps-preamps
  3. 1252450407

Need preamp recommendation

Well, the quest for the tube rolling didn't go anywhere after a quick phone call to a tube vendor who advised me that low noise tubes won't lower the background noise of the preamp. Unfortunately I need to replace my VTL TL-5.5 to something else with lower noise floor.

The new preamp must have very low noise. My amps have about 25dB of gain, and my speakers are 93dB sensitive. It can reveal small amount of idle noise too well, which was undetectable with the same speakers but with power amp of 15dB of gain. Also the new preamp must have low / no gain, or adjustable gain. My VTL has additional 20dB of gain, and it's just too loud.

Some of the preamps that piqued my interests are Aesthetix Calypso, Placette, and Sonic Euphoria. I've read some earlier models of Calypso suffered from noise issue. I'd like to hear from the owners with sensitive speakers and high gain amps if there is any noise issue.

I'd love to try the new TL-5.5 which was long announced, but I don't think it's shipping yet. Anyone from VTL reading this board?

Any other low noise preamp that I should consider? I'd like the tubes, but as tube gears have inherently higher noise floor I'll also consider solid states and passive designs. The budget is flexible, but I'd like to keep it under $3k. The new preamp will be driving Pass XA-30.5.
jylee

Showing 1 response by blindjim

blindjim
3,092 posts
 

What exactly are you saying when you say there is too much noise? What sort of noise? From what position?

I have gear with similar specs... all tube and/or tube hybrid. I have to be within a foot or so depending on how high the volume is set to, in order to hear any hiss at all. I hear none from my LP. Not with my tube mono blocks or the multi ch tube hybrid, both being run by a tube preamp... and all with exact or close amounts of gain... and all my amps are single ended.

I saw a thing on the Calypso about noise which said the remedy was lowering the gain inside the preamp. A sw. for such end user adjustment was supposedly added to later itterations. I sawe that some time back too.

The gain of a preamp can be lowered sometimes, by the maker more often than not though. You could also ask for phono stage tubes which are 'said' to be of lesser noise than line stage preamp tubes.

My BAT preamp was near dead quiet but it ran out xlr, not se/rca.
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