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Modwright SWL 9.0SE Pre ... your thoughts welcome

Hey, I have decided to dive into tubes ... well, you get my meaning. I was steered towards the Modwright SWL 9.0SE and so far have read some good things. I'm running a Levinson ML-27 for power and Paradigm S-4's for speakers. My transport is nothing special, Denon DVD-2200 but I am also looking at running a tubed DAC in hopes of bringing the system a little more alive. Right now the system seems a little flat ... not very exciting. Plenty of volume bass end it fantastic but the mid and upper end seem very packaged. Imaging is not very good ... High and mid frequencies don’t seem to blend well. Some CD's have fair to good sound but most seem pretty "plain". Just doesn’t have that delicacy I'm looking for. I seem to listen the SPEAKERS and not the music. I recently listened to an older set of Paradigms pushed by a small tubed integrated and I was amazed. The tubed gear really made the Paradigm speakers come to life ... I was set back in my chair. Vocals were clear and crisp … the sound was extremely detailed and I had to be drug out of the room. Since then I have really started to pick a part my system.

Cables are Signalcable Silver Resolution Balanced and Cobalt Ultimate speaker cables. I'm running Signal cable "Magic" power cables. Nothing fancy but it should do the job.

Is this upgrade going to help? Has anyone experienced this?

Any better preamps in the $1500-2000 range? What about Levinson SS preamps?

Help me out … Please
128x128horseface
clio09
3,343 posts
 
I had a chance to meet Dan Wright and hear the Modwright preampm at RAMF. It was paired with Dusty Vawter's CIA D-200 amps. This set-up sounded extremely nice and I was very impressed with the preamp, which was also used in a few other systems at the show. I also met Keith Herron and heard the new Herron prototype preamp and think highly of their products. Keith Herron is a very talented so as Jond says, you may want to check out VTSP-1A whcih is still available.

If you're looking for a DAC that brings music to life I would recommend you listen to non-oversampling filterless DAC designs. The better of these designs are very close to analog in their music reproduction. Audio Note, 47 Labs, Scott Nixon, Audio Zone, and Audio Mirror, which is the one I own, are all very good and you should be able to find something in your budget with one of those vendors (I'm biased but I think the Audio Mirror is a great value at $500). Personally I would stay away from tubes here. An excellent tube preamp would provide much better returns on sound improvement.

By the way, I own a Cary SLP-98L which is also a fine tube preamp. You can find them used on Audiogon in your price range, but they're over $3k new.

Good luck with your search.
jamnperry
123 posts
 
I'm also a Modwright owner. The 9.0SE replaced my CJ 17LS immediately after I compared the 2 in my home. In my opinion, it does everything right. Spacious soundstage, very dynamic, top and bottom extension and resolution, tubes but not too tubey. To my ears, very accurate to the music.
If, however, you're trying to inject more of the warm glow of tubes into your system, there are better choices. Personally, my philosophy is to go for as uncolored sound as possible and choose speakers that suit your ears.
The way I look at it, you really can't go wrong with the Modwright in this price range. If you decide you're not happy, the resale on them seems pretty good. As for me, after a long line of preamps, this is the one I'm keeping.
711smilin
513 posts
 
I am using the Modwright as well, and must admit, Dan has done a SUPURB job on this Pre. To me, it has a wonderful midrange bloom, w/o suffering from extensionitis, in other words, no roll off of high frequncy, or Bass. I have owned pre-amps that cost 5 times as much, which did not give me as much enjoyment. Bravo Dan. Highly Reccomended.

Good luck in your journey
mdrummer01's avatar
mdrummer01
103 posts
 
I have had a 9.0 SE for about six months now and consider it the best bang for the buck I've ever spent on my system. The kudos expressed in previous responses are right on. With just two 5687 tubes, it's cheap and easy to roll tubes. The overall level of detail it reveals persuaded me to keep this over a CJ 17LS and a 16LS. I did have one problem with a strange, intermittent sound...emailed Dan on a holiday and he called me at home with 10 minutes of me sending it! He took care of the problem as speedily as humanly possible. Cannot say enough good things about the unit and the service that supports it. Grab one when you can!
horseface's avatar
horseface OP
222 posts
 
I emailed Modwright and Dan personally mailed me back. I live about 12 miles from the new manufacturing facility and ask to visit sometime... he is a busy guy but agreed. I will get one on loan (thank you Kurt at Echo HiFi) and give it a test this weekend. After all of your input I think this is the direction I want to go. I was told by someone who had the Levinson/Modwright combo that the match was quite amazing but as was mentioned above - speakers play a big part of the equation. I know Paradigm may not compete with Dali or Wilson directly but in my price range I listened to many, many speakers and the Paradigms jumped out at me. They remain my favorite part of my system and I dont see me changing them any time soon.

I liked the way you put it "choose speakers that suit your ears" ... the S4's suit my ears.

Thanks for your input... I think I will listen to as many different pre amps as Kurt will lend me and try to approach it as a learning experience. I have spent a lot of money in the last three years and I have made some good and bad purchases. I have spent a lot of time lately picking through what you all, and others have written and I really apreciate this forum. I think I will slow it down and really try to figure out what fits me, before I throw more money at it. The more I dive into high end audio ... the more I realize how little I know.
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