Mark, don't get me wrong, I can hear differences in equipment and circuits probably about as good as most folks can. Additionally, in most cases, individual components can be considered tone controls. One of you likes the cat and one does not. No problem. All I am saying is that it is good to remember that it is your preference.
Lets see here:
we purchase an lp with who knows what final mastering is done to it and not counting over 1% distortion minimum, we place it on a turntable that has resonances, we play through a cartridge that has frequency response aberrations, our tone arm has resonances, the sound (distored another 1% or more) from our speakers is bouncing back (delayed) into our tt, your cartridge is loaded how it sounds best to us probably,
then our phono amp is full of phase shifts and distortions (and if it is a tube unit possible extra distortions from the high spl from the speakers causing the tube elements to vibrate..ahem, I mean reverb), then if we picked some poorly designed tone control cables (through out the system) we add some more frequency response aberations,
then we hit that magic pre-amp (no, we dont want a stright wire with gain, we want more bloom, blah blah) and then the amp adds its distortions and then the amp speaker interface adds its distortions and then the speaker(s) add their distortions and then the speaker/room/listener interface adds some super serious frequecny aberrations, and we say that, wait...hold it....wait for it....
pre-amp A sounds better than B
I say, I prefer the sound of A to B, in my system. I expect you just don't like to use that word, prefer, but you might re-think it.
Maybe you see the light, maybe you don't. It is just a language thing. So, wish you could understand where Ethan and Tom are coming from. Ethan has to be careful how he says things and I happen to agree with him on that sentiment.
I can dig that you prefer this over that.
I wish I could compare all these preamps and determine which one I preferred, that would be some damn good fun.
u
cheers,
Tom