Pick up a vintage, serviced Mac C22 preamp and 275 power amp. They will be excellent gear AND they will not only hold their value, they will appreciate in value over time.
Suggestions for a tube pre and power amp
Dear Audio Friends,
I am writing to seek your experienced suggestions regarding an upgrade to my current stereo setup. My current system consists of Revel F328Be speakers powered by a Luxman 590Mk2 Class A integrated amp. My frontend includes a Sonic Transporter (Roon core) powered by a Farad LPS, a Holo Red streamer, and a Holo May KTE DAC.
I am considering transitioning to a tube preamplifier and a solid-state power amplifier combination. While my speakers have a 91dB sensitivity, the impedance dips to 3 ohms between 100Hz and 200Hz.
My current shortlists are as follows:
- Power Amps: Coda S5.5 Class A or Coda No. 8 V1.
- Tube Preamps: Backert Labs Rhumba, Spatial Audio Raven, or Motherlode XL.
I am looking for a 3D holographic, warm sound with a high level of clarity and detail. While I am aware of the general rules regarding impedance matching, I would value your insights on how these specific components might pair together. I am also very open to any other combinations you might recommend.
Thank you for your help.
Rlal
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- 125 posts total
@yyzsantabarbara thank you for the detail, I’m also considering an MA-3i, I have an older EMM DAC2X V2 and out of 15 DACs I’ve had probably the overall nicest sounding. Also always wanted to audition the Krell 175 and 300. A lot of fun components to experiment with. |
@kevemaher You are correct, I will do that. Need to understand the importance of phase. Thank you for pointing out. |
- 125 posts total