Tape Head Pre Amps Available

Jazzbo · Feb 21, 2013

Hello Forum Members,
I'd love to know which tape pre amps are available and on the market, whether they all have accommodations for mc/mm phono as well as being switchable between NAB/IEC? Do they have other attributes I've not mentioned? I ask because I am going to see if I can locate and listen to a many as i can here in Georgia in order to get some kind of reference level. Right now I've not heard any. I would also love to know if these pre amps have adjustments so that they can be used with high/medium and low output tape heads or different tape decks? Thanks much all.

jazzbo

Asamel · Feb 21, 2013

The King Cello has all of the things.

U47 · Feb 21, 2013

As far as I know, the only modern preamp that can play MM/MC(above .3mV output cartridges) and tape with NAB or IEC eq. is the King/Cello preamp. It has adjustable gain of 42/52/62 db and thus can match most modern heads. The high frequency adjustment is internal. Very versatile and very quiet. It also has awesome drive capability,which gives it the ability to drive any sort of load or long cables and be unperturbed. Nick Doshi has a tape preamp that is quite interesting. It has transformer coupled outputs and should drive more difficult loads. It has some other unique features. I'm hoping Nick will chime in on this forum about his new product. I heard it at RMAF last year and it sounded fantastic. I don't think it is capable of playing RIAA(vinyl). I think the price is $10K on the Doshi. The base model King/Cello is $4k.

Rich

Jazzbo · Feb 22, 2013

Good Friday Morning and thank you for the responses. This is great information. I will be looking for someone or audio shop who might have the King Cello here in my area of Georgia. I am a member of the audio/video club here and am one of maybe two or three members who have an interest in reel to reel tape.

I was told the the club is looking at trying to have a representative from the "Tape Project" here in the June/July time frame. I am looking forward to that event if it happens. I will have the opportunity to listen to their awesome tapes as well as their tape head pre amp. That's going to be exciting. Of course I hope the tech who is working to complete my tape head pre amp will have it done soon. Thanks again all.

jazzbo

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