2. amps-preamps
  3. 172464-113867

Preamp recommendations for my system please

I think it’s now time in my audio journey to find a quality preamp. A pair of JC1 monoblocks are driving Wilson Yvette. dCS Bartök is ordered and will be my digital side (with a Roon Nucleus). Luxman PD171-A with Jelco 850 tonearm and Hana ML cart, with a Channel D Lino C 2.2 phono stage, on the analog side. 

 

I’d like the preamp to be truly balanced. Needs two pair of balanced/XLR inputs (phono stage and steamer/DAC). Under $10K if at all possible. My short list includes:

 

Audio Research LS28

Audio Research Ref 6SE (used only and still probably a stretch)

Ayre Acoustics KX-5 Twenty

Backert Labs Rhythm 1.3 

Parasound JC2

 

You’re going to ask me what I’m looking for in a preamp. Beyond what I’ve mentioned, I honestly don’t know. I’m open to all suggestions. I appreciate the help of this forum. Thank you. 

kcpellethead
kcpellethead OP
137 posts
 

Thanks to everyone that responded, provided feedback, or provided suggestions.  I have decided to stretch for the Audio Research Ref 6SE.  Now on to cables.

ghdprentice
6,338 posts
 

Congratulations. Would be great to hear your impressions when you get it as as things break in.

The preamp will take a couple hundred hours to go through its largest part of breakin (~100 - 120 hours SQ can waver substantially)… after that it slowly gets better and better. While ARC said 600 hour for breakin, I actually found it continues beyond that… to about 1,000. I would hurry the first 120 hours… then just use it to achieve the rest of the breakin.

I would recommend waiting on interconnects and cables until all is broken in and you really know the sound. But I think what I say below likely to be a very safe route if you want to get it together more quickly.

When my system got to a very high level of performance like yours, the components have no flaws or nuances you do not want to hear and the best interconnects and cables become those that are as neutral and passed through as much of the signal as possible. To me these are Transparent. ARC and Transparent are a known synegistic combination. I also found their power cords to have a similar impact (don’t ask me why power cords would sound similar to interconnect… I sure have no clue). The only exception for me was the amp power cord. I liked Cardas Clear Beyond for that.

 

 

kirk9
43 posts
 

Benchmark LA4 or Wyred4Sound STP-SE - both offer similar design concepts and either one would be a great choice for a quiet and neutral presentation. Forget those tube things. They will not bring you the truth.

More to discover