2. amps-preamps
  3. 167177-161720

What do you recommend to replace my Hafler IRIS preamp?

I've been nursing along an ancient IRIS all these years. I actually bought it here back in 2002, I think. Its served me well and trouble free through many, many amplifier, speaker, and source combinations. I use it for everything from vinyl to CD to streaming. No tone controls to muddy things, excellent phono stage, and the remote is a really hefty piece that freaks people out in the era of 'slim is in'. 
Last night, the sound started to go goofy on the system. The sound started dropping out - the volume would cut out to about half. I figured out that simply touching the volume or bass knob on the "cyber-optic" remote would return the volume to normal. Then it would cut out again, repeat as necessary. 

I'm going to repair this preamp, its too valuable to me not to do that. In the meantime, I'd like to find a good remote control preamp from my era - 80s to early 90s. I have plenty of other preamps here but nothing that has remote volume/balance or input switching. I know there's good preamps out there from Schiit and Emotiva and others, but I would rather stay in my lane - the 1980s - and restore/upgrade a vintage piece than open up a new box. Unless that new box had a vintage piece in it. 

Its a shame Adcom made good preamps but in order to get a remote I'd have to go to their tuner-preamps, which have no depth to them. So I'm thinking something like a Hafler 945, a Nak CA-something... what do you guys recommend? 
talon
5 responses Add your response
adg101
1,057 posts
 
First real remote control preamp I would say was a real nice preamp would be an Audio Research LS15. No balance input or outputs but I’d say it was as good as anything back then. LS5 MKII had a remote option and is an all balanced preamp but probably a lot harder to find. Can’t think of any preamps before these with remote that is close to the level of these but maybe there were.

Sonic Frontiers Line 1 has balanced and a remote.
talon OP
13 posts
 
Balanced in/out isn't important to me. The home environment isn't noisy enough to warrant it. 

After reading your post I searched for and found several LS15 preamps, but they all seem to have balanced I/O, and no remotes. Also, pricey. At $1k to $1.5k, they're far outside what I'd like to spend. I'm used to buying excellent preamps for no more than $500, and most of the ones I buy are below $250. Adcom, Carver, Hafler, NAD - all great, but no remotes among them. 
adg101
1,057 posts
 
I’d probably look at the Schiit Saga+ in your budget. I’ve not personally heard the Saga+ but I’ve listened to a headphone preamp and a DAC from them and both sounded very good especially considering the cost. I’ve owned NAD separates including the 1300 preamp, experience with both Adcom 555 and 565, some Carvers, heavily modified (Musical Design) Haflers and none of these are approaching what I’d call higher end being more revealing preamps. I’d take my chances on the Schiit being they have a 15 day money back guarantee and a 5 year warranty if I were you. 
It’s all subjective to your system if a higher end more revealing preamp will sound different than your Iris or if it may reveal a weakness in your system which is why I’d take a chance on the $400 Saga+. Be surprised if any mid fi 80s or 90s preamp is going to embarrass the Saga+, but who knows.
talon OP
13 posts
 
As I mentioned in my first post, I know Schiit makes good... Schiit, but I'd prefer to stay in my chosen era. I like learning the circuits from back then, I enjoy doing upgrades or at least recaps. 

If I can't find anything from back in the day, I'll take a look at the Saga. 
talon OP
13 posts
 
I had a look at the Saga, via the guys at AudioScienceReview. The verdict was "clean", but don't expect gain and don't expect the tube to add anything to the sound. There's also no phono section. Gotta have phono. I'd still like to hear the Saga but I doubt that will happen. 

I was on a quest for tube kits earlier this evening and somehow came across some neat solid state gear from Akitika. Their PR-102 preamp seems pretty neat, kinda reminds me of how the DH-101 would look if Rockford decided to re-issue it in 1990. No phono, but it can be added for $90. 


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