Tube pre for Forte 4a


Hey guys. Loving my new amp despite the Majik in the loop. Looking forward to swapping it out with something more involving, and would like to play with tubes. So the first question is: how well does this amp mate with tube preamps? Second, any recommendations?

My budget is under $1,500US and if I can tuck it under a grand, then all the better (that means I can get it earlier).

Thanks in advance for the thoughts.
mprime
Quick update.

Purchased an Audio Electronics AE-3 DJH. All of a day old and enjoying the 'new' sound. Will take a while to break-in and unfold, at which time I'll update my system page.

This has been a major shift in my system (going from a Majik integrated to seperates) and will take a while to fine tune. But I could not have gotten this far, this comfortably, without this amazing forum and the informed opinions of so many. So thanks!

Best,
Mprime: I'll be curious to see what you think of this combo. My experience with Forte' amps tells me that they don't work especially well with specific types of tube gear. I don't want to place pre-concieved ideas into your head about what to expect ( good or bad ), so please keep us up to date once you think you've got a pretty good handle on this combo. Sean
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A follow up for Sean.

I could not be happier.

Please keep in mind I am using the amp with RCA inputs; that increases the input impedance to 47k (as you know) which - if I understand properly - more than clears the 10:1 "rule" (the DJH is 600 ohms). But aside from the spec, there is music there. Real music. The kind of music I heard growing up with musicians passing through my house (my mom was on the board of a major symphony and played surrogate mother to many of the performers -- insturments were played constantly in the house which has given me, for better or worse, a rather grooved idea of what music should sound like).

I still have some tube rolling to do, cables to select, and, quite candidly, perhaps a speaker change. I am also curious to "upgrade" the Forte (increase the filter capacitance and perhaps the rectifiers) but feel no rush to do so.

I'll go on later in my virtual system page, but for now just say that the DJH and Forte are a grand match.

Best,

Lee