Your All Time Favorite Preamplifiers?

[analogsa]

It sounds like possibly even the CH?

This seems very unlikely. Completely different philosophies there. The pic does not show any parts manufactured later than around 1980 and lots from much earlier times.

 

[LL21]

The best SS preamp i had 30 years ago was Dennesen Gold and now CH L1with X1

The best tube i had ANJ M10 and Audiotekne 9501

But the best absolutly i had and was stupid to sell was Dissanayake Reference

Here line preamp with phono MM and external power supply for line and phono

This seems very unlikely. Completely different philosophies there. The pic does not show any parts manufactured later than around 1980 and lots from much earlier times.

Yes, I was surprised to read Gian60's post...it certainly SEEMS like he was saying the 'best absolutely he had' was the Dissanayake Reference.

 

[gian60]

Thanks! A new flagship perhaps?

This is a medium high quality preamp,not flagship

 

[gian60]

Dissanayake was the best tube preamp listened in my life and i had and listened Kamasutra 8/10 years ago,L1X1 are a perfect match with my favorites amp M1 and don’t know if Dissanayake can be a good march with M1

 

[LL21]

Dissanayake was the best tube preamp listened in my life and i had and listened Kamasutra 8/10 years ago,L1X1 are a perfect match with my favorites amp M1 and don’t know if Dissanayake can be a good march with M1

And then someday you will have CHM10! And you will go another level up!

 

[DasguteOhr]

The best SS preamp i had 30 years ago was Dennesen Gold and now CH L1with X1

that dual mono jc 80 gold with seperate power supply a john curl design?

 

[gian60]

I had ARC sp11,then yba,ML6B and then this Dennesen Gold by J Curl

 

[gian60]

And then someday you will have CHM10! And you will go another level up!

Next year if all ok i will buy L10

 

[LL21]

Next year if all ok i will buy L10

Great!

 

[BruceD]

I had ARC sp11,then yba,ML6B and then this Dennesen Gold by J Curl

Yes John told me the Gold version was the express demand from the Japanese Importer.

BD

 

[XV-1]

Cary SLP-98P tube preamplifier is a great cheap wonderful sounding preamp - I say this as it sounded better than the VTL 7.5 preamp I owned which was floored with tube noise for any amp over 26db.

my two fav pre amps are the conrad johnson Prem16 and GAT. both just make music.

 

[LL21]

CJ GAT 2 is also one of my favorite preamps of all time. I am most curious, Shane, what you might have heard about Jeff Fischel's latest flagship preamp, the ART88?

 

[rob]

Vaccuum State RTP 3D is one the best i have heard in my system.
Fast, open, clean and dynamic. Not edgy or cold just perfect tonal balance for my tastes.

 

[XV-1]

CJ GAT 2 is also one of my favorite preamps of all time. I am most curious, Shane, what you might have heard about Jeff Fischel's latest flagship preamp, the ART88?

Haven't heard anything Lloyd.

I wonder if Bill or Lew had anything to so with it's development?

Going by the pretty boring looks, Lew had nothing to do with the chassis design. Reminds me of Sonic Frontiers. I don't mind the gold cover.

 

[DasguteOhr]

i like sonic frontiers two color design black/silver. no electrolytic capacitor in the audio part except for the heating voltage tubes exemplary will work error-free for a long time. superb sounding.

 

[LL21]

Haven't heard anything Lloyd.

I wonder if Bill or Lew had anything to so with it's development?

Going by the pretty boring looks, Lew had nothing to do with the chassis design. Reminds me of Sonic Frontiers. I don't mind the gold cover.

I think Lew & Bill have retired out of the business? That was certainly the sense I got...but no definitive insight into that.

 

[alfa100]

Ho

So I recently obtained an MSB Select DAC with two power bases. The preamp function of this DAC has been widely lauded. When I ran it thru my NAGRA HD PREAMP the sound gained body and depth of soundstage. I previously had an AESTHETIX CALLISTO ECLIPSE pre amp which was the best I had previously in my system. The Nagra HD PreAmp sounds better by far. Previous preamps included ARC Ref 3, McINtosh 500 T, and Burmester. How did it compare to using the MSB DAC Volume control?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I previously had an AESTHETIX CALLISTO ECLIPSE pre amp which was the best I had previously in my system. The Nagra HD PreAmp sounds better by far.

Please tell us more about your impressions of the sonic differences between the Callisto Eclipse and the Nagra HD preamp. Thank you.

 

[KeithR]

GAT maybe great, but the Cj ART was SOTA in its time.

 

[Atmasphere]

GAT maybe great, but the Cj ART was SOTA in its time.

The Atma-Sphere MP-1 was SOTA at the exact same time: direct-coupled patented balanced output, noticeably more transparent and faster than a preamp using coupling caps... fully differential and balanced from phono input to main outputs, all-tube and able to drive 600 Ohms...

Realistically, we can say both were very good. But saying its 'SOTA' (as I have here) is a bit apocryphal, don't you think??

When making a statement about the state of the art, it might be helpful to say in what way: bandwidth? transparency? Ability to play the really deep bass notes that shake the building? IME top drawer preamps seem to have more in common than they do differences.