2. amps-preamps
  3. 132423-93722

Maybe tube preamp

My current setup is Tidal; ifi  nano DSD; Parasound HCA 2200 (recent purchase) ; Magnepan 1.7i  

This arrangement sounds pretty good at low volume with most material.  However I think it would benefit from a preamp.  The ifi's output maxes out at 1.3 volts.  I was thinking the warmth of a tube preamp would be a good match for this setup.  Years ago I had a New York Audio Labs setup. I liked it but it save for the noise floor. My HCA 2200 is blissfully silent. 

My budget is about $1,000

Advice?

128x128markainsworth
tubepower
17 posts
 
I would have to concur that Aric Audio would be a good place to start. I have several pieces from his bench due in large part to the sound floor. If it's not dead black silent, it doesn't get out of his shop. That holds true for both amps and preamps. Plus, as has been mentioned, he is refreshingly genuine to work with and is as passionate about tubes as anyone I've met.
markainsworth's avatar
markainsworth OP
92 posts
 
Claudebond & Analogluvr: Thanks for the suggestion, but I am not ready for a kit. I did a rough count and I figure there are about 400 solder joints in that kit. It would take me a year. I am not willing to wait that long.

TubePower: Thanks, that is good to hear. While we are talking about jumping the budget up to $1400, What do you think of the Transend 6SN7 Line stage? Is it worth the extra $400? ( It definitely looks cooler. ) Do you have experience with 6SN7 tubes as opposed to the 12AX7 tubes used in the Unlimited? Kalali & David_Ten (and anyone else): Please feel free to chime in.

One other note:  I saw a photo of the 'innards' of the upgraded Unlimited, and it is pretty ugly.  I realize it is at least in part due to the fact that ALL the components are point to point wired (zero circuit boards), but still.  A little organization would be a confidence builder.

tubepower
17 posts
 
MarkAinsworth: I have only seen photos of the 6SN7 Line Stage, but that was enough to foster a "few" conversations with Aric about it. After learning about the inclusion of some impressive components like True Copper caps and the 5u4 Rectifier, which should add to the tone and body of the sound, I liked it even more. My Enigmatic Mono Blocks run 6SN7s, chosen over 12AX7s during design due to the larger and more dynamic sound of the octal over the 9 pin mini. I am also a fan of the 5u4 Rectifier (black plate) and already run them in both my Special SE and in my Unlimited. All these things together, make the $400 less significant. I do not stop being impressed with how the Enigmatics sound, and soon they'll have a 6SN7 Line Stage in front of them.
mattmiller's avatar
mattmiller
1,479 posts
 
You have to call upscale and talk to Kevin to get a Jumbo Shrimp. The Shrimp is a older unit. You can find a Jumbo Shrimp for $2500 or less if you look around. Also, the J shrimp does not have a phono section ( thats a chinook) it is strictly a line stage pre amp.

I have owned the Modwright SWL 9.0 Sig edition with tubed pwr supply, this unit I supplied with tubes from Andy at Vintage Tube Services. It is a wonderful sounding unit with awesome beauty of tone and great harmonics, very rich and warm sounding but the bass was a little less defined and punchy then the Jumbo shrimp imo, the volume control on the Jumbo Shrimp is what its all about, its a tubed controlled circuit (and when u turn the knob it feels a little nicer even though it is also ALPS)! the Modwrights Alps volume is UN inspiring. This unit is in my fathers system so I never really got rid of it (still in family).

Matt M
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 

It looks like the tubepower has a lot more personal experience with Aric’s products but if you’re not picky about esthetics like fancy case or heavy aluminum faceplate, machined knobs, etc., I think you will be happy with Aric Audio preamp. The inside is a bit ugly but its sort of the nature of the beast with handmade point to point wiring. The positive side is it makes it possible to easily replace parts either for repair or upgrade. Don Sachs preamps also get great reviews but I understand the waiting time could be long. I also seriously considered the Mapletree Audio preamp mainly for its separate power supply unit. Quicksilver also has a preamp for under $1K.

By the way, my comparison with the LS26 was after I had rolled all new/NOS tubes and upgraded to top of the line Audyn capacitors. Some may still like the LS26 better for its more natural balance sound across the frequency range. I had tried a Conrad Johnson PV10 in my system - what started me on this path, a while back and it sounded nice and juicy but the high end was not sparkly and just felt a little too dull. It seemed like the frequency range was squeezed at both ends and had bulged in the middle, if that makes sense. With the ARC it was like the frequency response was ironed flat. The modded Unlimited just seems to have the best qualities of the two extremes with more sparkle on top. I should add that my system is fairly modest so I may be hitting the limits of what my system is capable of. Better amp and speakers may still pull more sound out of the preamp.

There are lots of options out there and you need to decide how much "tubey" sound you like and pick the gear accordingly. I think a more tubey preamp would be a better match with your Parasound.


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