preamps - vtl tl5.5/rogue 99/linn kairn

phunny, i started this thread last may - was it really that long ago i started looking for a preamp? :>)

telescope_trade, the 1st tube pre i had in my system was the magnum wersion of the rogue 99 - it was too coloured & had poor bass response, even w/nos tubes, so away it went. while it had more depth than the linn, if i had to choose between the two, i'd have chosen the linn. it mighta been an impedence mismatch, tho. the cary slp98 i replaced it with was better in *all* areas, but especially in accuracy & bass-treble extension. also had a separate tape-loop & balance controls, which i found useful.

but, i found a melos music director that i've always wanted to try shortly after i bought the cary, so, knowing i could sell either the melos or the cary & not take a beating (the adwantage of buying used!), i tried out the melos. well, it's in a completely different league than either the cary or the rogue, & i'm *wery* happy w/it. still curious about that vtl tl-5.5 tho... ;~)

regards, doug

do ewe have the elf processor w/your bag-end? i'm not wery familiar w/how this works, but doesn't the pre's outputs go to this proccessor? in my case, i run a pair ov vmps larger subs, and my pre feeds a marchand active x-over which splits the signals to the amps...

doug

trelja, i agree w/what yure saying, which is why i lost *no* money trying & selling two kairn preamps (one w/latest p/s), the rogue or the cary. i'm *wery* happy w/the melos, & have no intentions of selling it any time soon. comments on wanting to try the vtl 5.5 were more of a rhetorical nature - yust curious as to the sound of this unit. :>) i paid $1800 for my melos music director, spent $200 for additional upgrade caps - not bad considering it retailed for $4600. my musical tastes run the gamut from folk, latin, african, jazz, rock, classical, so i need a system that "does it all"! :>) the melos pre keeps all the clarity of the linn pre & the electrocompaniet amps, while adding that tube warmth, & substantially improving on dynamics and soundstage depth.

regards, doug

regards, doug

the hi-end cj stuff is the only one ya mention that offers remote, afaik, & even used, prolly outta my budget at present.

melos is supposed to be offering a revised photentiometer in the next couple of months, designed by mark porzilli, that won't be so suceptible to shipping damage - i tink i will swap out the alps pots in my unit when these are awailable... the alps pots, while nice, were a sonic step backwards from the original photentiometer, imho - one that melos had to do because ~25% of 'em were getting outta alignment due to shipping...

regards, doug

as for prices when brand-gnu, both the ma-333 & the music director listed for $4600, when equipped w/balanced ins/outs. this was for the 2-box linestage wersion. the 3-box version, which includes fono-stage, listed for $7400. stand-alone 2-box fonostage listed for $3600, add-on to a melos linestage - same as 3-box wersion - listed for $3k. i got the linestage, & use a pentagon ps-3 fono-stage.

regards, doug

ps - their old www still hase some info, if innerested:

http://www.bitstorm.net/sedrick/mindex.htm

no, these don't come up f/s frequently - which is why i bought one when i found it, even tho i had purchased the cary only a couple weeks prior. i'd always wanted to try one - i really liked the sha-gold, which i'd heard before. (this is basically a less-expensive 1-box wersion, not in true balanced configuraqtion.) i figured i'd a-b 'em, & keep the one i liked best. the melos stayed.

there was one other one awailable that i found out about yust after buying mine; i tink i still have the guy's email address if yer innerested; he was asking $2100...