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
Anybody knows if the SWL 9.0SE would be an overall improvement over AI Modulus 3A?

Nik
A great review, Horseface. Thank you for sharing your impressions with us. I ended up getting a Sophia Electric EL34 tube amp, but now wonder if I also have room in my system for the Modwright!

Holly
Nsufian, I used to own the AI and believe me this is much better. The AI, in comparison, has no soundstage and is very congested and grainy. Don't get me wrong. I was satisfied with the preamp and up to that point was the best I'd owned. It's a decent preamp in the used price range. The service issues and the short life span of tubes drove me to explore other options. The Modwright will be a revelation to you IMHO.
I ordered a 9.0SE from Dan this week based on a good friends valued opinion of it, and many a stellar review. Cant wait to hear it. I do understand it needs some serious break-in time, but will be well rewarded with patience. It supposedly competes with the likes of the $12K VTL 7.5 and surpasses most anything in the $6-8K realm! Thats one serious component!
It doesn't take any time to sound good. You'll be thrilled out of the box, though it does mellow (in a good way) over the first couple days and weeks.