What Solid State PreAmp?

Hi there again Mikeaudio. The correct model number of the H-Cat preamp is P12RX7. I just noticed on one of your responses that you have a McIntosh MC 402 amp. That's the same amp that I use and I am driving the Duntech Sovereigns. By the way, the Duntech's are a John Dunlavy design and they use all Dynaudio drivers. John Dunlavy sold the name Duntech to an Australian company and then came back to America and started Dunlavy Audio. John passed away I believe in January 2007 (RIP). Duntech is still in business in Australia. Anyway the combination of the H-Cat preamp and the Mac 402 is a magnificient sounding combination. Any how, good luck and remember, enjoy the music.

The H-Cat suggestions are worth looking into, particularly if you are looking to "wake up" a system. It may not be the answer if the system sounds too hard or in-your-face. It is not that the H-Cat is itself hard or harsh, but, it may be too revealing in some systems.

From a practical perspective, if you keep your amps on all the time (I would with high power solid state because such amps need a lot of warmup time to come on song), you would have to also keep your linestage on all the time or at least have a stage which mutes output when it warms up to avoid turn-on sounds from the linestage feeding a power amp that is on. This could eliminate some tube linestages from consideration.

>>but, it may be too revealing in some systems.<<

How can a preamp, or any product for that matter, be too revealing?

06-10-08: Audiofeil said:
">>but, it may be too revealing in some systems.<<

How can a preamp, or any product for that matter, be too revealing?"

My thoughts exactly.

I think he's saying that if your sources, ICs and speaker cables are not up to it, then you'll hear their hardness, haze and opaqueness even more clearly. Some would rather ignore reality rather than fix it.

Dave

Bill, revealing is bad if it points out how poor the rest of your system is ........or if you are looking for coloration that match your taste or preferances. :)