SS/Tube Preamps that better than Gryphon's Commander

[Seeker.Nirvana]

My favorite sonic characters: dynamic, transparent, fast, clarity, soulful, resolution, bass control, 3D soundstage, detail.
My target amp: Gryphon Apex or Mephisto
Budget (preamp): under USD 150K

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

 

[thedudeabides]

No one here has any idea what your system components are, what it sounds like, what you do not like about your current pre, what your personal biases / preferences are, etc. Any recommendation is just a dart throw from a sonic perspective. And it, of course, is all subjective. Obviously, best if you can audition in your system and make an informed decision. You have a massive budget with numerous options. Good luck.

 

[gian60]

Fantastic preamp
CH L10
Kondo g 1000
Thrax Lybra

 

[Richard Austen]

No one here has any idea what your system components are, what it sounds like, what you do not like about your current pre, what your personal biases / preferences are, etc. Any recommendation is just a dart throw from a sonic perspective. And it, of course, is all subjective. Obviously, best if you can audition in your system and make an informed decision. You have a massive budget with numerous options. Good luck.

Yes the reality is that you may audition say 10 preamps and rank them 1-10 in one system and the winner in that system may finish 10th in a different system - and that would be my assessment - yours might be completely different.

I do get this forum has some wealthier folks but it seems a bit strange at these prices to be asking questions like what is better than X for $150k. The question is difficult to answer at $1500, $8,500, $15,000 etc. Especially when the item is second-hand - people have to hear several examples of various amps at each price point in multiple systems and still the variance would be large.

One of the reasons audio is probably the worst hobby in terms of finding results that people agree upon. It's far easier with cars and even then people can drive two very similarly priced cars and each person buys something different. But at least with cars if you drive a Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and I drive the same two cars - we can both have a VERY similar experience. We may both agree that the Camry has less road and wind noise and we may both say that the Honda handles better in corners and is more fun to drive but then maybe I value more the comfort and lower noise and you value the sporty handling. In audio, all of this is exponentially compounded by the fact that you hear one preamp versus 3 others in a different system in a different city and you love Jazz - while I listen to the amp against 3 other preamps in a different room with rock and pop or classical and draw a very different conclusion.

Even cameras - you can take the top cameras - look at the pictures they all take and yet still - not everyone agrees on which is the best one.

 

[thedudeabides]

Great post. Puts it all into common sense perspective.

 

[caesar]

My favorite sonic characters: dynamic, transparent, fast, clarity, soulful, resolution, bass control, 3D soundstage, detail.
My target amp: Gryphon Apex or Mephisto
Budget (preamp): under USD 150K

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

What exactly do you mean by each of those audiophile words?

 

[treitz3]

Hello @Seeker.Nirand please allow me to a very warm welcome to the What's Best Forum.

Some information about your current system would help others here to help you.

Caesar, if you don't know what these terms are by now? Lawd help ya' man. Let's not derail a new members inquiry.

Tom