Best Used Tube Based Preamp $2k Or Under?

@nightfall Luxman CL38uC, or older CL36u

The SP14 is, IMO, one of the great buys in audio. Rich and linear like the Cary SLP-98 but *much* more transparent and responsive, with a quieter background. Compared to the SP14 I find the Cary a bit thick and slow, but still very musical. The Don Sachs versions are nice upgrades and can be found used (he no longer makes them) but the newer SP14s are no slouches. They’re based on John Broskie’s "Aikido" noise cancellation circuit, next to the Williamson amplifier one of the great contributions to public domain audio circuits.

I would also look at the LTA Velo, which is a preamp/headphone amp but just about in your budget range. David Berning is a brilliant designer.

I haven't heard the DeHavilland but I have very good memories of their 76-based preamp, which was super-musical.

02-12-2025 at 06:20pm 

@nightfall Luxman CL38uC, or older CL36u

I would love a CL38uC, but in checking, they go for $3500-4k! 

riche569

15 posts

02-12-2025 at 04:49pm 

I don’t know if there is any flexibility in your budget, but if you look at the deHavilland website, I believe the current price for a new UltraVerve 3 preamp is $2495. I spoke to them a while back and I believe they now include the remote. I don’t have any first hand experience with it, but based on what I’ve read, I’ve considered buying it myself.

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Thanks. I thought they were out of business. I checked the website, and the UltraVerve 3 preamp, with remote, is $2995.00. Thats a grand over my budget and definitely not possible. 

This is my last correspondence with Kara (feb 2020).

"Thank you for your interest in my products. I am actually taking a sabbatical from audio. I have been building gear solo on my tech bench for 25 years and need a well deserved break. I would strongly recommend buying a used Ultraverve preamp. Its a spectacular bargain at used prices and all of them are really the same design--so they all sound good and they do not wear out in any real way. Used examples go for $1500 to $1800 depending."

I don’t know if the sabbatical ended but the website seems to have just remained static.

There is this comment on a USAM ad for a preamp (already sold) that indicates some work is still being done by Kara. Best to email.

"He had Kara Chafee at deHavilland upgrade the output caps to V-Cap TFTF ($450) and install a 47 point volume attenuator for fine volume control. The new attenuator was installed at deHavilland ($550 upgrade) in February, 2024."