Classe' DR-6 MKI vs MKII

I never heard of a Classe DR5, Model 5 or whatever being described as bright?

J135 and I are going to agree on one thing...try out the Capri.

We also agree on brightness not being an issue ...

Yeah, I have never heard of the Classe DR-5 being described as bright either. I have even more difficulty imagine that the DR-5 is bright with a Jeff Rowland Model One amplifier. That is surprising, but I do believe you.

If you are committed to a solid state preamplifier, perhaps you should keep an eye out for a Klyne Audio Arts System 6 or 7 series preamp. They are difficult to find, and tend to sell very quickly on the used market, but are worth the effort to search for, IMHO.

I owned both a DR-5 and later, upgraded to a DR-6 MKII. Neither is bright so you should check that out elsewhere. If you read the old TAS reviews they were both described as "dark" which they were. The DR-6 II had an external power supply in addition to the one on the main board. It had even better bass, was a bit quieter, and a little more open and dynamic. The sound was beautiful. I recall that a few people preferred the older DR designs. I didn't benefit much when I upgraded to a Pass Labs X0.2. Well worth seeking out.

I am guessing that you are drawn to the DR-6 in any incarnation, but you have a chance to get a deal on a particular one as we speak, and are asking for a little insight as to whether or not it is a good risk. With that in mind, I admit to quite a bit of experience with this model, but have no experience with other preamps in my system since I bought mine nearly 20 years ago. I remember going through a string of preamps over a period of ore than five years since I decided to upgrade. Trying new gear in the 90's was easy for those of us in driving distance to Salon I Audio in Wisconsin Rapids, where the owner treated customers like royalty. I don't remember all the preamps that marched through my living room back then, but I do remember briefly owning a top of the line Counterpoint, as well as a magnificent Klimo and matching Merlin phono stage that at the time cost double what I eventually paid for the DR-6.

Once I installed the Classe, I gradually lost interest in preamps and lost the obsession to keep looking. I am sure there are probably some better ones out there, especially with so many excellent newer materials and components, but I don't care to go down that road even today. I have just gone through two years of system upgrades incorporating well over a hundred changes, the only mods to the preamp are pretty fundamental. Both the preamp and its separate power supply rest on their own isolation platforms. The PS is on a 18"x12"x2" maple cutting board resting on mapleshade isoblocks. It's feet have been replaced by Herbie's dots. The preamp's sits on Herbie's Lamp Black roller platforms and its maple block is also on mapleshade blocks. It really sees to like good power cords. I am currently using an old Top gun but also sounds nice with asynergistics master coupler I bought on Audiogon. In the future, I am hoping to replace the umbilical with a special version from Revelation Audio Labs that is said to put it in another league altogether.

I no longer use the phono section after falling in love with several low output moving coils that required just a bit more oomph than the Classe provides, so it is currently used only as a line stage.

The balanced in/outputs are not just for show. I used mine to control a pair of AtmaSphere MA-1's until they went bad last winter. I am now running a pair of 600w D-Sonic monoblocks balanced and use the balanced input from an OPPO BDP-95 for cd and SACD. even with the volume turned all the way up, there is no hiss or hum when listening to the speakers from an inch away (no signal, of course).

My Classe has never needed service, despite being in service continuously while always powered up for more than 20 years.

So, if you are thinking that you might get a giant killer preamp from the past for six or seven hundred dollars, you are right to consider one of these. But, if you have the totally unrealistic expectation that your bargain bin preamp is going to sound fantastically neutral, be quiet as the grave, provide a superb phono stage, sound wonderful matched to a pair of $7000 tube amps or even the new high-powered class d amps, and can be improved with application of fundamental audiophile setup tweaks and advanced cable technology that just never happened when it was new, you will probably not be disappointed.