Suggestions on Balanced Pre-Amp for Claytons

I don't believe the Shindo is balanced, if that matters to you. I would recommend an audition of the ARC Ref 3 if you get a chance. Which Claytons are you driving? M-200's?

Cheers,
John

Your right on the Shindo, RCA only. Good suggestion on the ARC, since I had forgotten about that one and it does get good reviews and can be had at decent price. The MBL and Gryphon are on the expensive side for a tube sound in SS package. I'm going to run 300's, which are very neutral with a tubish sound.

have you gone to the montana audio site and looked at their pre amps?

You most likely will not have heard of this brand but it should be on a short list IMO.
Reflection Audio Quantum...it is fully balanced and uses a battery power supply. Stephen Balliet has done an excellent job with this product that competes with or exceeds the very best.
I have no connection to Stephen or Reflection but would encourage you to check it out.

Wow! Wilson has been busy! I knew he recently released the M-200, but I didn't know about the M-300. I just Google'd it, I'll bet it sounds great! Congrats!

John

How about waiting until Jan and you can have the Clayton pre amp.

A Clayton Pre-amp could be a consideration, but it also could lend to a leaner, dry sound verses using a tube based preamplifier for some warmth and musicality. I've seen more references of Clayton amps being used with tubes for realistic music reproduction than a SS pre. I don't see alot of SS pre's getting musical recognition without coloration regularly except the MBL 6010D, Gryphon Mirage, or Krell Evolution Two and look at their price points. From a price performance ratio it will be interesting to hear how the Clayton sounds relative to it's price as compared to tube pre-amps. The recent review of the 200's in positive feedback used a Cary 05.

Shindo Vosne-Romanee has XLR outputs. No remote and definitely no black finish option.

If you go with a balanced preamp, it will help if it supports the low impedance (600 ohm) balanced line standard. This will reduce the effects of the interconnect cable dramatically, and free you to have the cables as long as you want.

There are very few tube preamps that support this standard (without frequency response problems). The traditional way that tubes have driven 600 ohms in the past is with an output transformer, but the transformer can be a barrier to transparency. Direct-coupling is the only way I know to get around this.

Has anyone had an opportunity to audition and compare the new M200 monoblocks to the M100 monoblocks or even the M300s? The M100s were and still are very viable SS amps that are very musical with great "high definition" reality sound and stage.

There is a review in Positive Feedback addressing the new 200's, which were considered an improvement. The 300's were recognized as part of a best room award at 2007 RMAF. 300's have larger power supply and bigger capacitors for even better resolution and dynamic detail.

Glide3,

I'm interested in the Reflection Audio with inboard phono. Have you heard the phono section before or just the linestage version?

Hello cvman,

I certainly can vouch for the BAT REX. Wow! IMO it probably is the best audio purchase I've ever made. Hope you find what you are looking for.

Enjoy,
Tom