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TRL Dude Dilemna

Based on all the high praise for the TRL Dude preamp here and other sites, I took a chance and bought one from a local A-goner to see if it could displace an Air Tight ATC-2 preamp currently in my system. The two amps I currently use are a McIntosh MC-402 and Viva 845 SET Monos. It turns out that the Dude is not compatible with either amps due to an impedance mismatch. So I only got to hear the Dude in a compromised performance mode.
I was not quite wanting to give up on the Dude yet given everyone else's enthusiasm about its performance. I am considering the Samson monos as a natural match. I can convince myself that the Samson's could be better than the MC402..My real issue is that I would have to give up the Vivas. Not sure I can make the leap that a solid state amp will satisfy me as much as those SET Vivas. Then there is the leap of faith that I cannot hear the Samsons with purchasing them....
Has anyone replaced their SET amp with Samsons and remained satisfied with the decision? My speakers are the Green Mountain Audio Continuum 3 which are about 90db efficient with an impedance 6.5 Ohms, +/- 0.75 Ohms 150Hz to 20kHz. Thanks for your input..
tellefsen
pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,185 posts
 
I would not sell two good amps just to justify the purchase of a preamp. I would not think the Sampson's are capable of matching the SET sound of your Viva 845.

Sell the Dude and consider buying the Aesthetix Calypso listed. Spend $400 on the right NOS tubes and you are set.
tellefsen OP
73 posts
 
Charles1Dad,
The Viva's have an input transformer, and while the designer would not tell me the input impedance...he did say that a pre-amp with a high output impedance would not work well.

Jebe1,
I am located in Dallas. I do get to the Baltimore area frequently.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,230 posts
 
Tellefsen,
Well if that`s the case it comes down to Viva amp or the Dude. Since you own this wonderful amp I`d search for another preamp. I`ll admit a bias toward superb SET amplifiers compared to SS amps.
Good Luck,
jtwrace's avatar
jtwrace
443 posts
 
Purchase the new GT160 mono blocks from TRL and be done! They're a smaller version of the GT200 and much less expensive...in line with the Samsons.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Seems you should always choose your amp to match your speakers first, then find a preamp that works with you amp - just can't imagine taking the approach of making an amp decision on the basis of a preamp - especially if you already have amps you love that work with your speakers - unless you simply enjoy the tinkering and search.
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