preamp paradigm shift??

TroyD
TroyD Posts: 13,077
edited August 2013 in 2 Channel Audio
So, it's no secret that I've had a tube preamp in the rig since Christ was a Corporal.....or so it seems. Back in the day, I was on the bandwagon....and with good reason. All of the tube preamps that I have had have been, IMO, superior to the solid state preamps that I've had/heard. You know how it goes....more air, better tone...yada yada yada.

Well, last night, for poops and grins....I inserted the Parasound P/LD 2000 into the rig that I aquired in the great B&W score last month. It was a TOTL preamp from Parasound in the mid 90's. John Curl design...some talk of it being the inspiration of the JC-2 (or 1) preamp that audio reviewers seemed to be pleasuring themselves to when it hit the market a few years back. Pfffffffffft. Solid State. Pffffffft.

Let me retract that. This thing sounds DAMN good. DAMN good. I honestly wasn't expecting a lot. Really, I was just looking to reinforce what I already knew....a tube preamp is better.

I gotta tell ya friends, I've got some more listening to do but right now, I'm just not believing it. I've run all my faves and I've yet to find anything to not like. Perhaps a little forward in the mids. Perhaps not quite as much soundstage depth. Perhaps. Bass? Oh, myyyyyyyyyyyyyy (as George Takei would say). To DIE for.

Anyway, I'm going to listen to my Boston Symphony Chamber players Mozart for Winds and Strings SACD again. It sounded so good the last time, I want to listen again.

Who knew???
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,557
    edited August 2013
    I worry about you.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    I know, right?

    What is WRONG with me?

    Must be the moldy cheese. Where is my mahageny pipe??

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited August 2013
    Hod a parasound p/ld 1100 in the system for awile and it sounded great. Didnt have a phono input so, like an idiot, i sold it. Does the 2000 have a remote and 12v trigger?
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    remote, yes. 12v trigger...not that I am aware of....

    I had another parasound pre.....1500? Something of that order a few years back. Decent preamps but really didn't blow my skirt up. This is a horse of a different color.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    Could be the moldy cheese and cheap merlot....

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    Oh, yeah...it has zero curb appeal....I grant the point.

    I don't know....it may be the system it's in. The gentleman that I got the gear from certainly had the interest, knowledge and resources to pick out gear that sounded good and worked together....so there is that for sure. I've listened to recordings that I'm very familiar with and they sound not only good, but I think they sound right.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited August 2013
    I might try a tube pre next. Gotsta have a remote and 12v trigger tho, so will probably limit me a bit.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited August 2013
    Sounds like it might be some "unexpected" synergy. Honestly they're your ears. B&Ws have never floated my boat so I say go with what you're hearing!

    cnh
    Currently 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]
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,416
    edited August 2013
    TroyD wrote: »
    Could be the moldy cheese and cheap merlot....

    BDT

    Could also be hearing loss.:cheesygrin:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,963
    edited August 2013
    Glad to hear it's blowing your skirt up Troy....that's assuming your wearing one which btw....I believe you are.:biggrin:
    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
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    touche!

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,557
    edited August 2013
    TroyD wrote: »
    Must be the moldy cheese. Where is my mahageny pipe??

    :lol:
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited August 2013
    Congrats and it's fun to find an unexpected match in your system!
    Jake
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited August 2013
    F1nut wrote: »
    I worry about you.

    I don't. The hooplah before the sale.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    Actually, believe it or not....no sale. Who woulda thunk.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited August 2013
    woohoo! I'm not the only one who likes some SS pre's lately. (let the 1st stone be thrown!)

    Congrats on the deal! Heard some great things about that Parasound
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    Yeah, I'm actually thinking about moving the Dodd Battery pre down the road....again, whodathunk?

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited August 2013
    I'm not surprised; I have always felt the parasound pres never got the respect they deserve. I think this "epiphany" sometimes happens to people who go back to vinyl, after many years without--but in the meantime have become so used to CD, they find vinyl not as enchanting as they had remembered.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited August 2013
    TroyD wrote: »
    Yeah, I'm actually thinking about moving the Dodd Battery pre down the road....again, whodathunk?

    What about not using front end amplification? I like my Dodd buffer tons which does use one tube, but I feel it sounds neither tube or SS with the LDR attenuator.
    Jake
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2013
    I don't know about the tube buffer, I mean, I don't know much about them....I'm not really looking for a 'tube' sound, I'm looking for good sound. All things being equal, I'v generally predisposed to tube gear in general and preamps in particular....I've heard a lot of SS preamps that just sounded lifeless to me. That said, this parasound is a horse of a different color.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,498
    edited August 2013
    I went all SS with an old Krell KSL w/phono that I recapped and tuned up back in January. Jfet design for pre and phono. DIY DAC with discrete output. Sounds great with my Sanders A/B amp on the hybrid ESL's. I tried a later flagship offering Krell KRC-HR SS pre and it gets fatiguing. The KRC-HR with a Krell KSA-250 Class A amp, not fatiguing as the amp adds warmth.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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