Mixed Brand Pre-Amp Power Amp Pairings that Work

Pretty much all of top level hobbyists choose the best pre-amp and choose an amp from different manufacturers. That is what I see on most systems, swapping gear is a constant process and being bound by just one manufacturer is very limiting. I've only had one matched system in 60 years and it didn't last long. 

I had a pairing in mind and contacted a fellow in Germany who evaluates equipment professionally.  I noticed in a few of his tests of some front end gear he used my proposed pairing in his reference system.  He wrote back confirming the pairing.  (Fairaudio.de)  

The EAR 868 and the Bryston 4B3 play very well together.  

I have mixed and matched for most of the last fifty years. At first because the best in each category was made by a different manufacturer and also a lack of funds to buy what I really wanted.

Much more recently… with adequate funds, simply by upgrading I ended up with nearly all Audio Reseach equipment minus one. My audio dealer brought over the one missing piece without me asking and said just try this. I was sold in a few minutes.

I think the world has changed. There are some high end companies where you get a huge advantage in synergy. Audio Research is definitely one of them. I will not be mixing and matching any more.

Even in the relatively small world of high end audio there are of course different schools of engineers. Two like-minded engineers were (both are recently deceased) Roger Modjeski of Music Reference (and RAM Tube Works) and Tim de Paravicini of EAR-Yoshino, both experts in the field of tube amplification circuitry and the design and build of transformers.

I have found the EAR-Yoshino 868 pre-amp to be a superb partner with any of Modjeski's power amps (the RM-9, RM-10, and RM-200, all of which I own in Mk.2 form). The EAR 868 affords both single-ended and true AES48-compliant balanced outputs (via Paravicini's own transformers), so can be mated with both the single-ended input RM-9 and RM-10 amps and the balanced-input only RM-200. Unlike almost all other tube amplifier makers, Modjeski hand-wound his own transformers. 

A combo that is unknown, to most of you out there is: Backert Labs and McGary Audio. If you dig yourself out of the marketing and review mentality you will get to listen to this magnificent examples of super bargain audio here.😇