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Help me find a pre-amp

Hello everyone.  I’ve done loads of searches & reading of threads on here.  I need to find a pre amp & make a final decision on amp to upgrade my sound.  Source will be purely digital (Qobuz) streamed from Aurender A200 (my two channels are also used for TV). Synergistic research cables.  For power amp I’m down to Rogue DragoN or a McIntosh 612.  Speakers are Chapman T-7.  I want the shityy recordings of 70s & 80s rock to come to life & fill the room(Rush, Van Halen etc)

The budget I have in mind for a pre is <$5k.
From all I’ve read here The Modwright L100 seems to be highly recommended, but I have not heard it.  
Thanks for your opinions!

rkfaberdds
jkf011
308 posts
 

Yup Conrad Johnson 

paul_lindemann's avatar
paul_lindemann
51 posts
 

A lot of good suggestions.

In my experience the Backert sounded like AI - very dynamic, but artificial sounding.  A sax should sound like a sax and the difference between a piano, harp and harpsichord is easily confused with the pre.

I passed on the Pre in favor of the Aesthetics Calypso...which gets the timbre and dynamics right...as did the Atma Pre - just not as deep a stage.

yowser
111 posts
 

Another recommendation for Backert Labs.  I recently purchased the Rhumba Extreme and a sax sounds very much like a sax on my system.  It's also very responsive to tube rolling.

vthokie83
1,226 posts
 

Rkfaberdds,

I just finished my preamp listening journey, and I'll try to get my notes out later today......I'm not great at putting that into words, but I'll give it a go. Was a fun experience....and I've ordered my preamp.

rkfaberdds's avatar
rkfaberdds OP
51 posts
 

So I pulled the trigger and got an LS100 for $2k on here.  The combo of good reviews, low price and aesthetics got me.  I ordered some Sophia Elec blue glass 6SN7 tubes and a NOS Mullard 5AR4 rectifier.  Should be sonically excellent for for the MidFi (circa $20k) system I’m building.
 

Next purchase will be Rogue dragoN and an Aurender A200(unless someone talks me into a Cary DMS 700).  And new cabling other than some older Shunyata stuff I have.

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