Recommend me a SS pre.....

[bonzo75]

Hello heihei,

This could fit the bill:

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue59/vre1c.htm


https://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php/equipment-menu/284-smc-audio-vre-1c-reference-preamplifier

Good luck.

853guy

The first one is what the US distro of Berning uses and recommends with the Berning.

That is also Garykoh's favorite.

 

[Empirical Audio]

Steve, I'm sure what you meant to say was 'I've not heard a great sounding solid state preamp....yet'....right?

Right. I guess I need to design one....

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

 

[joeinid]

Luxman C-900u ?

 

[microstrip]

I am using the GG into the Constellation Virgo II into a Berning ZOTL40 with great results. (...)

I hosted the Virgo III in my system and can easily second your recommendation - surely a reference SS preamplifier.

 

[es347]

There are no great SS preamps IMO. Get good tubes if you can afford them, class-A operation if possible.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

..and there you have it

 

[dan31]

The first one is what the US distro of Berning uses and recommends with the Berning.

That is also Garykoh's favorite.

If we are talking about this kind of money then the VRE-1C would be the pick. They offer a silver wired version for big bucks.

 

[Jazzhead]

The Trinity pre amp will be a good match with the Quad Z. Maintaining the same purity and speed .

 

[heihei]

Thanks for the ideas guys - I'll report back.

Also have a Nagra Jazz on demo at the moment.

 

[rblnr]

I’m a dealer so take this as you will, but the Hegel P30 competes with any SS preamp I’ve heard.

 

[CGabriel]

I’m a dealer so take this as you will, but the Hegel P30 competes with any SS preamp I’ve heard.

Heihei, the Hegel is one that I also thought you might want to try. I was mighty impressed with their DAC/Pre in a shootout that we just hosted at our factory. We had the TotalDAC and the Lampizator on hand so it wasn’t going up against light weights.

 

[joeinid]

Several years ago, 2 friends and I went to hear Rockport speakers with Hegel and Constellation gear. The Constellation amp did not sound right on the speakers while the Hegel was wonderful.

I have to say that the Constellation preamp on the Hegel H30 was a glorious combination. The Hegel P30 on either amp was not good to our ears.

Just my 2 cents. So a trial is necessary whatever you are looking for in your system.

I’m a dealer so take this as you will, but the Hegel P30 competes with any SS preamp I’ve heard.

 

[CGabriel]

Several years ago, 2 friends and I went to hear Rockport speakers with Hegel and Constellation gear. The Constellation amp did not sound right on the speakers while the Hegel was wonderful.

I have to say that the Constellation preamp on the Hegel H30 was a glorious combination. The Hegel P30 on either amp was not good to our ears.

Just my 2 cents. So a trial is necessary whatever you are looking for in your system.

Just a point: The latest gen of Constellation is significantly better than just couple years ago.

 

[joeinid]

Thank you Caelin, I absolutely believe that. It was a wonderful piece.

Just a point: The latest gen of Constellation is significantly better than just couple years ago.

 

[microstrip]

Just a point: The latest gen of Constellation is significantly better than just couple years ago.

A lot better indeed ... I hosted recently in my listening room the Centaur II and Virgo III for a week, and I am still recovering from it.

Previous experiences with the old lines of Constellation Audio have shown a very large difference between the Centaur I/Virgo I and the Hercules/Altair line - enough to put me away from Constellation Audio, as Hercules/Altair was insanely expensive. But now the gap seems narrower.

BTW, I had both the Virgo II and III - and again the III was better, more fluid and less imposing, more "tube like" in the sense of the cj GAT, for example, than the II.

 

[bonzo75]

Audioquattir recently compared the Alieno hybrid OTL with the Constellation Hercules II and chose the Alieno for his Magico M3. He likes his Dagostino Momentum 300 enough to keep it alongside and not sell it. He uses the Dagostino pre, so will be good to take his opinion as well.

 

[microstrip]

Audioquattir recently compared the Alieno hybrid OTL with the Constellation Hercules II and chose the Alieno for his Magico M3. He likes his Dagostino Momentum 300 enough to keep it alongside and not sell it. He uses the Dagostino pre, so will be good to take his opinion as well.

Did you listen to Audioquattir - sorry, I never heard about him - system comparing these amplifiers?

 

[bonzo75]

Did you listen to Audioquattir - sorry, I never heard about him - system comparing these amplifiers?

Yes, last weekend, with his Feickert. My flight was delayed by 3 hours so could compare only on analog. Will go back to compare on digital. Will write in more detail after that.

 

[microstrip]

Yes, last weekend, with his Feickert. My flight was delayed by 3 hours so could compare only on analog. Will go back to compare on digital. Will write in more detail after that.

What was the preamplifier used with the Hercules II?

 

[bonzo75]

What was the preamplifier used with the Hercules II?

Not sure, you can PM him. I just compared Alieno to dagostino with the dag pre.

His id is audioquattr

 

[CGabriel]

A lot better indeed ... I hosted recently in my listening room the Centaur II and Virgo III for a week, and I am still recovering from it.

Previous experiences with the old lines of Constellation Audio have shown a very large difference between the Centaur I/Virgo I and the Hercules/Altair line - enough to put me away from Constellation Audio, as Hercules/Altair was insanely expensive. But now the gap seems narrower.

BTW, I had both the Virgo II and III - and again the III was better, more fluid and less imposing, more "tube like" in the sense of the cj GAT, for example, than the II.

Ditto, what he just said.