Noble110 - what speakers will you be using in your setup? I also own a "Air Tight" but mine is the ATM-2. I expect my "Chardonney" to arrive shortly since I just past the 3-month marker. The speakers I'm using are Kharma Ceramique 2.2, and I use a COPLAND CDA-289 HDCD player as my source.
Preamp Deal of the Century
If anyone is looking for a true "World Class" preamp at a very fair price..heed my advice. I just recieved a Supratek Syrah preamp that was hand built by Mick Maloney in Western Australia, and it is absolutely beautiful! This preamp is the best deal you will ever find. I would put it up against any preamp out there for both looks and sound. Price? $2500 for the Syrah (includes Killer Phono stage). Not into phono? Try the Chardonney line stage for $2100. Don't get me wrong, I am not associated with this company. I am just a very happy owner! This preamp is VERY dynamic, yet liquid. It conveys the sound of music better than any other preamp that I have ever heard! You can check out the Supratek website at www. cantech.net.au
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Aloha, I have emailed Mick several times recently about options on my Chardonnay. Mick said production had slowed, but the preamps were sounding really good. I didn't even ask him about an ETA. At this point, I figure why bother, I'll just be patient and I'll get it when I get it. But it is getting somewhat frustrating. Warren |
Just an opinion to be added at this point. I understand that it is frustrating to have to wait for your new gear. But, everyone here must understand that part of the allure of the product you have ordered, is that it is individually hand made by the designer and owner himself. This guy is not superman. He can only do so much, and still maintain his level of product quality. You all have placed orders, and so have many others. At some point, it becomes very hard for a small outfit like this to keep up with the growth. If you want the exclusivity of a hand made product like this one, then you have to give the guy some elbow room to handle the mammoth task at hand. When I talked with David Berning about making a prototype custom amp for my system, he told me that I could get on the list and when he is ready to start my project, I could send him a 50% down payment, and it would be ready in about 3 months from then. I don't even really know when he will start my project, but I hope that I may get it by the beginning of next year. In the meantime, I am just waiting for him to call and tell me when he plans on starting the project. So, you guys are not alone in your waiting game. I feel confident that David Berning will get around to making my dream amp someday, and I am also sure that Mick will fill all of your preamp orders as soon as he can. The wait will be worth it, if the product is anywhere near as good as the people in this thread say it is. |
Hey, bwhite an the rest who have one how are they sounding over the longer haul? Twl is right: if Mick doesn't build each one with his pathological need to give you the best he can create, then you won't get what we are talikng about. I know its frustrating though. Still loving mine. Not a burp or hickup. Its a rock, a beautiful one. Hope you all think so to when you get yours. mark |
Hi guys, I have had my Syrah for 4 months now and it is amazing! I no longer think so much about how the various pieces of equipment sounds. I just enjoy the music. This is the most "musical" piece of equipment that I have ever bought. I am still using the stock tubes except for the 6sn7's. I bought a pair of Tung-Sol round plate 6sn7's. Big improvement! I just bought a pair of Tung-Sol 5881's, but have not recieved them yet. I understand that Fiddler is about to get his preamp. This should give the rest of you hope tht they are truly coming. You can't rush Mick, but you will be rewarded in the end. |
I essentially refrained from emailing Mick for the last 3.5 months since I was getting my updates from this thread alone. I finally broke down and inquired last week. In response Mick said it would take a "while" longer. However, he did attach a couple of "goo goo ga ga" reponses from a couple of new owners just to console me. I wanted to ask him "how much longer" but I held back because I just didn't want to get a heart attack - kidding! I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait but I also just wanna get done with the system for a while...hah! hah! Cheers to Fiddler... |
A late thank you to Bwhite for sharing with us some time ago how the Syrah is set up and especially how to iron out the microphonic probem of vintage 6SN7s or indeed other vintage tubes. Now I will like to know whether anyone has experimented with different cords between the power supply and main unit, I remember the improvement of upgrading the cord with ARC pres. So there may be room for improvement in this area. It will also be helpful if users can tell us how long the initial break-in period and anything that we should pay particular attention during this break-in. Many thanks in advance. WS |
Gentlemen, my Supratek Chardonay arrive a few days ago. It's only been few days and I'm really trying my best not to listen to it,oh hell I finally broke down last night and did some serious listening. I can sum up my experience from last night in two words "goosebumps time". Those who are still waiting, hang in there guys the reward is way much more than you can imagine. I posted a picture of it, click here if you're interested in what it looks like. Happy Listening to Everybody. And thanks to all the guys who helped me decide on buying this preamp. More on how it sounds like next time. |
I ordered mine towards the end of March, but I cancelled my supposedly remote control option which I think made a difference. I am actually in Seattle, WA but if I am in the Washington DC area your welcome to come by. Hang in there, it's really what Bhite and others say it is, simply stunning in everyway. |
Mmmmmm.....I ordered mine 3/26 (Syrah)with the only change being 1 set of xlr outs (even though it's not balanced) Maybe that means I am getting close. I haven't emailed Mick since 6/3. Course, Seattle is closer to AUS than DC is so mines probably in the mail. Well, at least it gives me time to break in my new Mephisto so I'm not breaking in 2 components at the same time. I'll probably have a trace of regret when I finally get it because I'm going to miss looking forward to getting it. If that makes any sense. |
Aloha All, Mick sent me an email last week saying my Chardonnay was completed and running in, but he was waiting on the chrome cans from the platers. He said it would only take five minutes to fit them when they come in. I am a little peeved that Rmml received his unit before me when I ordered mine well over a month earlier. Life's a beach. I will post an update when I have one. Aloha, Warren |
Hey! I've been on vacation from audio for a while since I am in the process of losing my job. I've been focusing on finding another job instead of spending time here - sorry. Its fantastic to return to the boards and learn that many of you will be receiving your preamps soon! I certainly hope you love 'em! Asa - Mine is still sounding great however its a pain in the butt to find good NOS tubes. The KenRad Black Glass VT-231's are great and so are the similar (but NOT the same sounding) Black Glass 6SN7GT's. Unfortunately they tend to be noisy - and the Supratek is very sensitive to bad tubes. Also - the power supply is quite sensitive to where it is placed. There is an audible difference between placing the power supply on various surfaces. I get the best sound from mine with all the feet removed and placing the unit on a MDF shelf. Too hard of a surface doesn't seem to sound too good and too soft is lousy! Black Diamond #3 cones are too soft for the power supply but work well on the preamp itself. I was hoping to get #4 cones to test out but... my company took a nose dive. Additional improvements came from adding dampening material (Dynamat) inside the preamp on the chassis and on the inside of the bottom plate. This helps reduce microphonics and vibrations in the preamp. Also a little mass increased the performance of my preamp. I filled double plastic bags with some "special" sand and placed them inside the two domes in the back. These domes used to contain transformers but now only contain AIR... They are only for looks. The sand actually decreased the vibration sensitivity even further and made the preamp sound a bit better. |
Gentlemen, I can give you some information on what you may expect if you ever have to send your Supratek preamp back to Mick for repair. (See Ozzy's post of 7-10-02). I recently purchased a used Syrah that produced a hum in my system. I corresponded with Mick. After discussion he offered to update the preamp (which was an old model) to current specs for only the cost of shipping!! We ended up adding a few more things to it (jacks, impedance selector) for a very modest cost. It also came back all polished up. And (I hate to tell you this) he bumped me up to the front of the line since I needed service. The bottom line is Mick believes it is very important to give first class service after the sale. Service to current customers gets priority over new orders. BTW, after only a brief listening so far, this thing might actually be as good as the hype! |
bwhite, yes, sensitive to tubes. I get some noise from the Ken Rad black glass but it varies with the set (I have 4 pr). Still worth it though. I suspect that damping would help, but seems Ok on my RixRax stand, which is quite heavy. Maybe try Vibrapods on the PS; I've had good luck with them as a general rule on tube gear and they are cheap to try. The transformer towers are empty? Really? I never bothered to look and it doesn't seem Mick's style to put something on just for cosmetics. Seems heavy back there. What do you mean "used" to contain transformers? Shun Mook pucks also help in these limited circumstances where component is very good and you don't want to lose harmonic performance or introduce sterility to space with over-damping. Just wood pucks, but darn it, they do work. Here's a story on them: I'm reviewing them for some Indonesian magazine and am quite skeptical. I hear differences when placed on things but no big deal. Decided to leave them on TT plinth because worked well there, but again, lots of stuff works well in varying places and you just keep going til you find the combo. Had put them on top of my ESP Concert Grands - very heavy, vibrationally inert and well-made speakers - and was about to remove them to pack 'em up when noticed that I had put them upside down. Now, I know the "manual" said be sure to put the carving side up, but frankly, with the skepticism, maybe I didn't pay as much attention. So, since I was doing a review I turned them over, not expecting anything, and Whoooa!: liquidity increased, depth increased, transients became more integrated etc. Not subtle, really let the harmonics of the speakers shine. So, hang in there; you'll find the combo. Of course, you made need deep therapy by then... |
Hi Asa, The "older" versions - like yours - actually did have transformers (or something) in the rear domes. The newer Suprateks do not. The new Suprateks are feather-weights and seem to respond well to the added mass. For example - without the dampening material in my preamp, even a light touch on the top of the metal chassis would cause an audible effect. It sounds much like a single piano note. NOS tubes further increase the problem.... The increass in mass stops this from happening. The added dampening material does not effect the sound other than making it quieter. Removing the four plastic feet on the power supply and resing it on the frame seems to be the best so far on all Suprateks I've come across. Vibrapods are way too soft. Placing it on anything softer than MDF sounds sloppy. Anthing harder (for example granite) - can sound shrill (with the feet removed). If the PS had to be placed on a hard surface, the vibrapods would help. I also added Bybee devices to the AC input and post rectification stage in the power supply which initially added dark flavor but after break-in sound quite nice vs. without. |
My Chardonay came with Sovtek 6N8P, with Chinese letterings on the glass so I'm assuming it's Chinese made. I have not listened to them as I followed the advice of Bwhite and others on the Ken-Rad VT-231.I am currently waiting for a pair Tung-Sol VT-231 round plates and Raytheon VT-231 which I will be comparing with the Ken-Rads. This should be fun in the next couple of weeks. On a side note, one of the Supratek owners on AA mentioned the the stock Chinese Sovteks 6N8P were actually not bad at all,If I remember it correctly he mentined that it may even be slightly better than the Raytheon VT-231s. |
Hi, I felt a bit uneasy that I received my Syrah before you guys. I guess my unit being 230V may have helped to reduce the lead production time (Australia is also on 230V). I was skeptical of what had been said about this pre but now I can confirm what was said is accurate. It is an experience having this preamp in the system and it is difficult to reconcile the price/ performance ratio of this product to others. My main reason of this post is to remind new owners that when you receive your unit, do thoroughly go through and understand Mick's 3 page instructions before you plug it in. He expects we are all experienced and responsible triode amp users and unlike the more established corporations, his documentation may be considered brief. The sound of the pre changes at every session as it continues to improve by the burn in. Experiment with the different gains settings. There are a few combinations. I am currently setting the internal pair of switches on low and the switch at the back highest. The various combinations do sound different. Experiment also with the different phono loadings, I was surprised the loading that works best for me is not the usual loading of my previous pres. When I mentioned this to Mick's S E Asia distributor this was the reply from Mick: “The phono, like all my products is a little unconventional and will react differently than other pres- I'm glad he found the sweet spot. Once he gets used to the possibilities of the Syrah, he may find more surprises.” What had been said on tubes in previous posts are excellent advice. Thanks again for sharing the discovery of this preamp. Happy listening, |
Hi. I'm also waiting for my preamp (since 4/25). Hopefully will be here soon. In the interim, I'll likely shop a bit for tube upgrades. I've heard mention of a few 6SN7 options including Ken Rad Black Glass and JAN and Sylvania VT-231s. I'm wondering would options like RCA Red Base 6SN7 or Mullard EC32s (or EC34s) be better options? Does anyone have experience trying these with the Supratek preamps, or are the previously mentioned options better. I had purchased a pair of RCA Red Base 6SN7s for my Blue Circle BC2 monos on recommendations I found elsewhere and the improvement was shocking (over regular Sylvania 6SN7). Just wondering whether the two options above have been tried or considered by other folks for use with the Supratek. Cheers. |
Outlier - preamps seem to be more sensitive to tube quality than amplifiers. A tube which sounds perfect in an amp can squeak and be rather noisy in a preamp. Be aware of this when shopping. Ask the seller if they honor an exchange or refund if the tubes you buy are too noisy for the Supratek. I've tried many 6SN7's and clearly the best are either the Ken Rad black glass or the Sylvania 6SN7w's (metal base). The RCA 5692 red base tubes you speak of are just okay. Tung Sol Round plates are pretty good. Raytheon VT231's are alright. Brimars are too detailed but may work in some situations. A tube I haven't tried is the Mullard CV181 - which isn't a "true" 6SN7 but should work. In your tube quest you might try looking/shopping for 6SN7GTB tubes. They are new(er) cost MUCH less and there are quite a few different brands available. So far, I've picked up some National's and a pair of Canadian made GE 6SN7GTB's which were pretty darn good. There is no doubt that the character of the older NOS tubes is superior to the 6SN7GTB's I've tried but the GTB's are WAY quieter, less microphonic and super cheap (can usually be purchased for 10 or 15 bucks a pair). hope this helps. |
Tubes for the Syrah. I found the best 6SN7s in the Syrah to be the KenRad VT231s or the old Sylvania brown bases, 6SN7W GTs I believe. The RCA 5692 red bases were terrible. I also found the best regulators were the Sylvania 5932 best. The best rectifier I found was the RCA 5V4 GA. The phono stage tubes give you little choice. The WE 147A versus the Raytheon 5842 is difficult as the first tends to be best if not microphonic, but most are. The choice between Mullard and RCA 6GK5 seems to make little difference. Also many of these tubes are noisy. Tube rolling with this unit is great fun but expensive. Good luck to you beginning this journey. |
Hey Gang- Looks like I'm up next, my Chardonnay is shipping as early as 8/29 - I place my ordered on 3/29. I have no clue how long the shipment will take to get to NYC. By the way - what's involved in the customs clearance? I've seen posts indicating a duty of $130. When and where does one deal with this? Is this something you pay the shipping company when you receive it? I appreciate any advice you can give on this. Thanks |
Hi Jewel - the shipping usually takes three or four days. I live in California (Silicon Valley - near San Francisco). The preamp arrived in the US at a port in Los Angeles CA via FedEx, then was shipped to Tennessee and then back to California from there. Strange process. FedEx will invoice you a few weeks later for the 130 in duties. |
Like many had mentioned before that tube type is best on certain systems and not that great on others, on mine the Raytheon VT-231's (brown base) are the best so far followed by the Tung sol VT-231's and Ken RAd 231's. On my system the Raytheon has more refined extended highs and just the right slam complementing the already good bottom end of the Chardonay. And the mids, oh so sweet midrange, quite lovely if I might add. I need to get more of this puppies, good luck with the hunt guys. |
At last, the wait is over, for me and I hope all the others who ordered their units back in Feb/March/April. The Syrah arrived today and is now sitting happily in my system. OK, first impressions: I must say, it is difficult to believe that a tube preamp could be this dynamic, yet still retain the finesse and allure of tubes. But hearing is believing. I have had a couple of excellent tube preamps, the Audible Illusions Modulus 3 and the First Sound Presence Deluxe Mk II. I thought the Audible Illusions, though highly regarded, was still slightly underrated and one of the best values in high end audio that I have come across in my admittedly brief time in the hobby. Though it lacked the incredibly black background of the First Sound and was not quite as dynamic, the Mod 3 seemed more musical to me and somehow less compressed, at least in my system. I know the First Sound is highly regarded also, and I can certainly see why--it produces stunning sound. Yet, I often felt I was listening more to the preamp's performance than I was to the music, if that makes any sense. In the end, it was just too clinical for me. So, what the hell, I thought I might as well try this bandwagon. It would be foolish to jump to any conclusions until I've had a few listening sessions with the Syrah and tried some tube rolling, but right off the bat it is clear that the Syrah is as dynamic as the First Sound and as musical as the Audible Illusions, and that is with stock tubes and only a few hours of play in my system. Who knows how much better this thing might get--I am definitely in uncharted waters. I look forward to others' reports. It would also be cool if fellow members of this growing fraternity would identify associated equipment so we can have a frame of reference. I'm still relatively new at this, and having the time of my life. Thanks so much to Bwhite, Asa, and all the others who have helped along novices such as myself. My system: EMC-1 24/192 Nottingham Spacedeck/OL Rega 250 Mod/Dynavecter 20XH Piega P10s Bel Canto EVO 200.2 mono blocks Piega speaker cable Jena Labs Symphony IC (cryoed) Virtual Dynamics Power 2/Audition (cryoed) Virtual Dynamics cryoed outlets on dedicated circuits My listening chair beckons. Oh, by the way, does anybody know where I can nab some Sylvania metal base or some Ken Rad black glass tubes? happy listening to all-- |
Thanks for the tips, guys. I know a lot of people reading this thread must think there is a considerable amount of hyperbole about this unit, but it has truly transformed my system. Only problem so far: not enough sleep. I just keep thinking of songs I want to hear, albums I have to play. Oh yeah, I didn't get the remote I asked for either. But I don't care. The only way this thing is leaving here is if it malfunctions or someone takes it at gunpoint. Better be a big gun, too. |
