Opinions on Apt Holman pre amp

Fongolio
Fongolio Posts: 3,516
edited July 2010 in 2 Channel Audio
As many of you know, I'm into vintage gear. I came across an Apt Holman pre amp that has been fully serviced and upgraded (op amps, caps, volume control, mute circuit). I've read some glowing reviews on this old piece but would like to hear from any Polkies who have had experience with it. Good or bad. I've purchased it and am waiting for it to arrive so I won't be swayed in any direction. Just looking for opinions. Thanks

Kelvin
SDA-1C (full mods)
Carver TFM-55
NAD 1130 Pre-amp
Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
The Clamp
Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
Ben's IC's
Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM
Post edited by Fongolio on
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Comments

  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited July 2010
    I remember the Apt Holman as a very clean budget audiophile unit. Let us know how it sounds.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited July 2010
    I've been using one non-stop for about 7 or 8 years in my Half-**** HT rig. You couldn't pry it out of my hands. Sleeper piece.
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  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited July 2010
    Great vintage unit for the $$$. Had a decent onboard phono section as well.
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  • starkiller
    starkiller Posts: 2,723
    edited July 2010
    Excellent unit! had one new with a pair Holman power amps, Rogers LS35/A's, Satterburg subs, and a Rega Planar 3 with Grace F9E and the sound was superb. those were the days....:)
    Computer room Hegeman 1 SpeakersM&K VX-80 subKenwood DP-7010Cambridge Audio CXC Transport Rega DACPrimaLuna Prologue Four AmpAric Audio Tube PreampGarage Jennings Research SquareCustom tube preampCrown XLS-1000Denon DCD-1500II Modded MSB Link DAC
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  • Fongolio
    Fongolio Posts: 3,516
    edited July 2010
    So here's the skinny: I purchased the Apt Holman pre along with an older PS Audio moving coil amplifier (basically a step up transformer) the two shipped to my door for $300. As I mentioned above the AH unit has been upgraded and serviced fairly recently. After playing several records (Weather Report, Minnie Riperton, Sting, David and David) and several cd's I can say with total enthusiasm that this was an excellent upgrade from the Carver C-1. That said the Carver is an older unit with original caps so it may sound considerable better after servicing which is my plan.

    As for the Apt Holman PS Audio MC unit and Carver amp, this combination makes the SDA 1C's sound magnificent. The first thing I noticed was extraordinary detail (and I really thought the system sounded great with the Carver pre). Little details I'd never heard before were suddenly evident. And the three dimensional sound stage is astonishing; wide and deep and with height as well. The frequency range is also fantastic with the mid range especially silky. Voices sound exactly like they should and when Minnie hits the really high notes it's clear and clean with no trace of edginess. Spectacular.

    To say I'm very impressed with the synergy of all the parts in my system now is a gross understatement. This piece (along with the PS Audio MC unit) has taken my system to a new level and made the SDA's sound world class in my humble audio world. To my ears the system now sounds every bit as good as any megabuck system I've auditioned in high end show rooms. And the best part, with the exception of cables and perhaps the turntable (about 12 years old) it's all vintage and cost a fraction of what this kind of sound would cost in a new system. Now don't get me wrong, are there better sounding systems? Oh yes, and many that would I'm sure beat the pants off mine. But could I get this kind of sonic nirvana without spending 10's of thousands of dollars? Not likely. Now, time to go put another record on.
    SDA-1C (full mods)
    Carver TFM-55
    NAD 1130 Pre-amp
    Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
    The Clamp
    Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
    Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
    Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
    Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
    Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
    ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
    Ben's IC's
    Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM
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  • Chickenwatt
    Chickenwatt Posts: 1
    Hello, 2010 last post but here I am.
    I repair electronics, I am speaker builder and also audiophile, I have an APT Holman preamp as it was my dad's preamp back in 1980.
    In those years of 80's almost every music lover had a turntable, a open reel, a cassette player, a tuner and maybe another.
    Few preamp has had the amount of inputs to have all those players connected and the APT Holman was unique in this area where you have 2 tapes, dubbing switches to record from one tape to another, I mean no other preamp have these versatility and if you choose to improve by changing to another preamp you are going to miss having all these equipment together.
    So for having all the road to perfection is to take your APT Holman and improve it as possible it can be.
    I change all the electrolytic for Nichicon and Rubicon Black gate, the signal passes almost through 7 electrolytic caps ( 10, 22 and 100 uFarad ) imagine the improvement 7 times.
    Also changing 11 ic's TL072 for new Burr Brown OPA2132
    These modification involving around 120 dollars in parts as I did my mod, maybe a tech could charge 250 for the job we are talking almost 400 dollars can sound better than a 1,500 dollar preamp if you change your Holman and you keep the versatility of this vintage APT Holman.
    Ohh I forgot, the headphone amp is incredible as well as the phono stage.
    Cheers!!
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