Tube Preamps

gregure

I was in a high end store in town awhile back and heard a demo on some B&W 803's with the McIntosh C2200 tube preamp and the MC402 amp. While I'm not a fan of B&W speakers in the slightest (much more taken with Vienna Acoustics), I could not help but be impressed with the sound. I reall enjoyed the warmth afforded from the tube preamp, with the power and quickness of the solid state amp. Someday, I'd like to build a decent two-channel system (perhaps in the next year or so if possible), and I'd like to know if there are other tube preamps anyone would care to recommend that are not as expensive as the McIntosh. It sounds great, but I'll not be spending $5000 on a preamp. I could order it through my company, but at discount it's still $3000. Any advice on a good tube pre in the $1000-1500 range? I've looked at Cary Audio, and their initial one starts at $2000.

Here's the system I'm planning to build so far:

Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grands
REL Q201 subwoofer
Primare A30.2 amplifier
Primare CD21 CD player
Preamp-?
Audioquest Cheetah interconnects
Audioquest Volcano speaker cable

I may just decide to go with the Primare I30 Integrated amp, but I'd like to investigate the tube preamp route first. Any input would be great, thanks.

I've checked out Audiogon and Ebay already, but I did not recognize a lot of those brands. Any suggestions on where I could read up about these would be awesome.

F1nut

Buy used, get more for less.

CJ
BAT
Cary
Jolida
Audio Research
VAC
Sonic Frontiers
Rogue
Audible Illusions
Antique Sound Lab
and many more.

Do a Google search and get your learn on.

W WALDECKER

i just bought a used Anthem pre1L preamp a few weeks ago and after i hooked it up to my monos and pushed play my jaw dropped and all i could say was WOW!it was the most bang for buck i have ever seen in my system. i paid $450.00 + $28.00 in shipping and i am very happy with it!

PolknPepsi

Juicy Music is a brand I've been doing research on and they have a few to choose from...$400-$1800 range. The maker is a regular on the Klipsch forum and this is the brand I'm strongly considering.

Goodluck with whatever you get, it's all fun.

ND13

I think the Dodd MLP is in that price range. There are several members with one and I believe they are all happy. I know I'm very happy with my little ol ELP

RuSsMaN

The Dodd MLP is no longer available. Gary signed a contract with an audio company out of Tennesee I believe, and he is going to build his 120w monos and MLP exclusively for said company now - to market under their name.

Those who ordered should be pleased, the same preamp will cost MUCH more now.

Cheers,
Russ

ND13

Oh well, guess we're too late and more than a few dollars short.

W WALDECKER

Upscale audio has a Balanced Audio Technology VK3i tube preamp with remote control used and in great shape. Kevin Deal the store owner quoted a price of $1,250.00 for it. this is GREAT GEAR! this preamp with remote option retailed for $2.500 and if i did not have a $2.700 pair of red cherry Loreleis being built i would snag this preamp myself. good luck.....WCW III

ohskigod

RuSsMaN wrote:

The Dodd MLP is no longer available. Gary signed a contract with an audio company out of Tennesee I believe, and he is going to build his 120w monos and MLP exclusively for said company now - to market under their name.

Those who ordered should be pleased, the same preamp will cost MUCH more now.

Cheers,
Russ

is the ELP still available?

I'm thinking about the ELP, the Juicy Music Merlin, or keep my Radii and get another Carver 4.0t amp to run bridged into my Amazings

sorry if i'm thread stomping

TroyD

I don't think the ELP is available either.....

For the same cash, you can buy a lot of used tube pre, F1 had a good list of 'em.

I'd go with the tube pre over the 2nd m4.0t, personally. I had two TFM-45's bridged, I did it because I could but didn't notice any improvement in terms of performance. Now, you might consider bagging one for a spare but be patient, you will run across them cheap from time to time.

BDT

RuSsMaN

Yes, the ELP is available.

Cheers,
Russ

lomic

Darn - got excited that I might be getting the last "Dodd" ELP ever made

ND13

RuSsMaN wrote:

Yes, the ELP is available.

Cheers,
Russ

Great news.

audiobliss

Juicy Music. Hmm. I'll hafta look into that.

gregure

Thanks for all your input. This is a project that will not be completed for some time, so it will give me sometime to research. I'm already having second thoughts on going the tube way. In my ignorance of all things tube, I did not realize that you have to replace the tubes every few years. Not a desireable side effect of getting tube. Additionally, I was listening to the same piece I heard demo'd on the B&W/McIntosh setup on our Vienna Beethoven Concert Grands/Primare setup at work, and I thought it sounded better. Of course, in my opinion this has a lot to do with the immense superiority of the Beethovens over the B&W 803's (the bass response was leagues better for instance), however the Primare equipment allowed for warmth and detail aplenty. Highs were smooth and pleasant, and the overall experience left me very satisfied. I guess I had it in my head that tube is the best type of music, but warmth can still be achieved from other means. Again, by no means is this my final decision, but I will be mulling it over a bit and auditioning before I finally settle on a setup. Thanks again.

beardog03

don`t give up on tubes...they will change everything....ya gotta hear them to appwreciate them...

is it just me or did I just sound like Elmer Fudd..?!!

F1nut

I did not realize that you have to replace the tubes every few years. Not a desireable side effect of getting tube.

So what, tubes don't have to cost much.

dorokusai

I'll add to my honcho's comment, in that you may NEVER have to replace a tube....it's a tube....some last forever, some last for weeks or a nightcap. The limited lifespan comment is rare, even with cheap tubes....but, If you don't want the "hassle" or "problem" then you should just stick with what you have.

Tubes aren't for everyone....it's not a fix....it's not the answer....it's just an option, what happens after that is on you. Do a search of some folks that went tube pre-amp....I don't recall any "this sucks" statements or "what a waste of money" rhetoric.

I can assure you that tubes will be in my pre-amp, from here on out....amp wise I'll take SS power anyday.

W WALDECKER

dorokusai wrote:

I'll add to my honcho's comment, in that you may NEVER have to replace a tube....it's a tube....some last forever, some last for weeks or a nightcap. The limited lifespan comment is rare, even with cheap tubes....but, If you don't want the "hassle" or "problem" then you should just stick with what you have.

Tubes aren't for everyone....it's not a fix....it's not the answer....it's just an option, what happens after that is on you. Do a search of some folks that went tube pre-amp....I don't recall any "this sucks" statements or "what a waste of money" rhetoric.

I can assure you that tubes will be in my pre-amp, from here on out....amp wise I'll take SS power anyday.

i agree with your acessment Doro. switching to a tubed preamplifier seemed to have struck a balance between the brute force of solid state and the relaxed warmth of tubes. taking the best from both worlds and combining the two. there are alot of satisfied people on this forum that can bear witness to this observation. switching to a tubed preamp changed my whole outlook on what was possible as far as shaping the sound of my system.

ND13

Adding a tubed pre was definitely the best upgrade I've done to any system I've ever had. IMO, the only other thing that can make more of a difference would be speakers. I'm still going to try the all tube route as soon as I can. Maybe I won't like it as much as the tube pre/ss combo, but I doubt it. If so I'll just get a more powerful SS amp than what I'm using at this time. I'm also considering one of the tube/ss integrated hybrids and using my Dodd/AMC set up in another room seeing that I'm about to be adding another set of SDAs very soon.

Anyways, the "tubed-pre way" is definitely something you should at least give a chance.

madmax

gregure wrote:

I did not realize that you have to replace the tubes every few years. Not a desireable side effect of getting tube.

Hmmm...
Not a big deal. I often switch tubes depending upon my mood any given evening. I guess if you look at it from the outside maybe it appears more technical and scary than it is.

madmax

ND13

Exactly, swapping out the tubes is one of the great things about having tubes in the first place. Different tubes for different music types and different moods. You can't do that with SS without turning the tone knobs. Use different tubes to tune your system. And, unless you have one of those "mega multi tubers" it's not difficult or dangerous by any means.

madmax

Not to mention the average tube ranges anywhere from $2 to $20.

Of course if you are one of those people who have to send their equipment to have it done you could be looking at $60 shipping, $125 labor and $100 parts for a 5 minute job which means changing a tube could cost you $285. For most of us we just crack open another beer and go at it.
madmax