Preamp Deal of the Century

Great to see the love downunder for Blue Circle products!

Another very good Canadian product is Don Sachs’ custom linestage 6SN7 tube-based preamp.
http://www.dsachsconsulting.com/custom%20line%20stage.html

Base model is US$1,699. You can add different tubes (Don highly recommends the Shuguang Black Treasure CV181z, I do too!), change the output caps to either Jupiter Copper, or Duelund CAST PIO-Cu, or add XLR connectors.

I just replaced my Doge 8 preamp, which I felt was great value for the money, with one of Don’s preamp. It don’t know if the difference I’m hearing is the result of going from a 12AT7-based preamp to 6SN7-based one, but the improvement in sound is startling.

With upgrades, my unit came in at AUD$2,700. Don stands by his work.

@shertzy - check out the Doge 9 monoblocks: US$4,000 (delivered direct from the factory)
http://www.doge.audio/products/tube-power-amps/doge-9-pab/

A review here: 

Nordicnorm - like you I had a Doge, inky black line stage, great dynamics and separation of players on the soundstage. What I couldn't  appreciate was it seamed like the midrange was turned down as a tone control might do. Further in owning other preamps with the same tube types I wrote it off as a design flaw. I've since moved on to other 6sn7 based preamps. While none that I've tried had a recessed midrange, thay all seam to have more 'meat on the bones' that seams to be a characteristic of the 6sn7 family. 

Was your experience similar when you moved to Don's preamp?

Hey guys, looks like Mick is back to building Supratek preamps again. This is great news! Mick has a new phono design for the Cortese preamp. Sounds like he has new products in the works. Here is a link to his blog. www.supratekaudio.blogspot.com.au

I hope he's finally using terminal strips to hold his parts in place.

I hear you Ralph, whatever "floats" a boat in the scheme of a specific business model. Nick's designs seem ever evolving from one idea to the next. I like that approach, kind of, but the problem is there is no definitive end, just a continuing work in progress ever evolving. I came to this conclusion when i couldn't obtain a schematic in spite of repeated requests. Plenty of passion and value regardless especially for the diy crowd, at least it used to be. Whatever the next iteration of Supratek, Mick has my warmest regard and a sincere hope for future sucess. His passion is unquestioned, at least by me.