What a difference a new preamp makes!
halo71
Posts: 4,603
Ken (polkersince85) has came through for me once again. I had asked him if he had any preamps in the ole' vault he might rid himself of. Yall keep in mind there is a separate SDA vault! :loneranger: Well he tells me about this Phase Linear 3000 Series II that he has. And just my luck....it can be had "free to a good home". He wouldn't even let me pay shipping!
Well I get it yesterday and hook it up in my guitar/junk room (the wife calls it that). And DAMN!.....after some Deoxit on the controls. I hooked it up on my old Cannon/ala ESS speakers. With a HK power amp and sheot! I am hearing mucho more detail on CD's! I am happy so far!
Now, I have it in the den (the preamp) on a Onkyo Integra M504 running my Monitor 10's at one time. And my DIY towers at another time. And wow, I am so happy with this preamp. Probably the first preamp I have had (keep in mind I am poor) that I don't feel the need to use tone controls or an EQ in the mix.
Oh yeah....also keep in mind. That the aforementioned HK power amp Ken gave me when he gave me my Monitor 10's. I did MAKE him take at least $20 in gas. Which he didn't want but I made him take! lol
Ken, I owe you dude! Thanks so much!
Well I get it yesterday and hook it up in my guitar/junk room (the wife calls it that). And DAMN!.....after some Deoxit on the controls. I hooked it up on my old Cannon/ala ESS speakers. With a HK power amp and sheot! I am hearing mucho more detail on CD's! I am happy so far!
Now, I have it in the den (the preamp) on a Onkyo Integra M504 running my Monitor 10's at one time. And my DIY towers at another time. And wow, I am so happy with this preamp. Probably the first preamp I have had (keep in mind I am poor) that I don't feel the need to use tone controls or an EQ in the mix.
Oh yeah....also keep in mind. That the aforementioned HK power amp Ken gave me when he gave me my Monitor 10's. I did MAKE him take at least $20 in gas. Which he didn't want but I made him take! lol
Ken, I owe you dude! Thanks so much!
--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
Post edited by halo71 on
Comments
-
Nice. Congrats.
-
Sweet.
I'd love to hear a separate preamp in my setup or even just a CDP direct. Ahh in time.... -
Great....that Ken...he's a sweetheart of a guy for sure. Congrats on some new gear to keep you in that room long enough to piss off the wife.
.....and this is why I love this place. It's the membership that makes this forum what it is.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
It's kinda haunting the detail I am hearing now on CD's. Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits.....I am hearing stuff I never knew was there. I was truly not expecting this much of a difference. The PL does have some hiss in it when sitting idle. But other than that I am really happy with it.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
What your hearing, is basically the difference between seperates and a receiver. Now you know why die hard audio nuts go for seperates. A receiver is a compromise, seperates also let you taylor the sound more to your liking.
Looks like we reeled in another fish gents....lol!!!HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
What your hearing, is basically the difference between seperates and a receiver. Now you know why die hard audio nuts go for seperates. A receiver is a compromise, seperates also let you taylor the sound more to your liking.
Looks like we reeled in another fish gents....lol!!!
Oh I was no virgin to the world or separates, at all. Been running them for years. I just discovered a GOOD preamp for the first time I think. I shutter to think what a nice tube preamp would do.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
Congrats on the pre man. I'm digging that "audio stand".
That "stand" actually still works believe it or not.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
Yes, the "stand" is very cool indeed...
One of these days, I plan to redo the grill cloth. And refinish the cabinet. I need to find someone that sells those knobs as well. That is the only thing missing.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
Ken (polkersince85) has came through for me once again. I had asked him if he had any preamps in the ole' vault he might rid himself of. Yall keep in mind there is a separate SDA vault! :loneranger: Well he tells me about this Phase Linear 3000 Series II that he has. And just my luck....it can be had "free to a good home". He wouldn't even let me pay shipping!
Well I get it yesterday and hook it up in my guitar/junk room (the wife calls it that). And DAMN!.....after some Deoxit on the controls. I hooked it up on my old Cannon/ala ESS speakers. With a HK power amp and sheot! I am hearing mucho more detail on CD's! I am happy so far!
Now, I have it in the den (the preamp) on a Onkyo Integra M504 running my Monitor 10's at one time. And my DIY towers at another time. And wow, I am so happy with this preamp. Probably the first preamp I have had (keep in mind I am poor) that I don't feel the need to use tone controls or an EQ in the mix.
Oh yeah....also keep in mind. That the aforementioned HK power amp Ken gave me when he gave me my Monitor 10's. I did MAKE him take at least $20 in gas. Which he didn't want but I made him take! lol
Ken, I owe you dude! Thanks so much!
Not too shabby for being on the poor side. You've done yourself good!
Monitor 10s sound pretty good to me regardless of what is powering them. Of course they are "better" with cleaner more controlled power! I'm still surprised how good they sound on my Marantz 2265 (and I'm not even a vintage Marantz fanboy?).
Looks like a nice pre-amp!
Enjoy!
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
Forget everything else, you should be restoring that stand."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
-
In due time I will. I believe that thing still has the original tubes in it! Some huge coke bottle looking ones.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
