Starter Tube Preamp

BSUfbfan

OK, so I bought an Aragon 4004 MKII amplifier, hooked it up and the sound is MUCH improved. Now it's time to buy a tube preamp. I will be looking at used CJ or Audio Research, or new JuicyMusic Merlin or Dared SL-2000.

Any thoughts? Want to spend @ $600, so I am leaning toward the Merlin or buying a broken CJ that a guy is selling on ebay and CJ CS told me that they will fix it and upgrade it for $400 which would put it around my budget.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Mike

jfb4548

BSUfbfan wrote:

OK, so I bought an Aragon 4004 MKII amplifier, hooked it up and the sound is MUCH improved. Now it's time to buy a tube preamp. I will be looking at used CJ or Audio Research, or new JuicyMusic Merlin or Dared SL-2000.

Any thoughts? Want to spend @ $600, so I am leaning toward the Merlin or buying a broken CJ that a guy is selling on ebay and CJ CS told me that they will fix it and upgrade it for $400 which would put it around my budget.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Mike

Don't over look the Dodd ELP. It is within your price range and I can tell you it is so much more then a starter pre. I'm not sure Gary is offering them new anymore? I replace a really good solid state pre with an ELP and it was a massive improvement.

BSUfbfan

jfb4548 wrote:

Don't over look the Dodd ELP. It is within your price range and I can tell you it is so much more then a starter pre. I'm not sure Gary is offering them new anymore? I replace a really good solid state pre with an ELP and it was a massive improvement.

I'll do some research on it, thanks.

Mike

Ricardo

If you can go higher, my MLP is still available......first and last pre-amp you'll need....

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?p=430453#post430453

Nice Bump

reeltrouble1

Dodd is thee Entry Level Pre. Built right here in Texas. Conrad Johnson is great gear either will do you up fine, but I would lean toward's the new Dodd for starters.

RT1

steveinaz

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/product.asp?itemid=27&catid=29

ckpiv

HT

I might be interested in your MLP. I have sent you an email. Let me know if it is still available and if you still want to let it go.

ckpiv

audiobliss

If you get that MLP...you better be ready for perfection! The ELP wouldn't be a bad choice...but the MLP?! That's an awesome pre.

Hope ya get it!

Ricardo

ckpiv wrote:

HT

I might be interested in your MLP. I have sent you an email. Let me know if it is still available and if you still want to let it go.

ckpiv

ckpiv,

Did not get any mail; PM'd you.
(Let's talk this separately not to hijack this thread more...)

candyliquor35m

I've been wondering if these Audio Mirrors are any good

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1145755504

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1145757653

I'm happy with my Audio Experience tube pre- that I bought here from unc2701 but they don't come with remote unless they added one recently.

Midnite Mick

I will be "needing" a basic 2 channel preamp in the future and was thinking of trying the tube route. Prices seem pretty similiar. I have a jolida cd player that I am now happy with but probably still can be improved (thanks F1Nut). I am just wondering what the tube product will give me versus solid state? My multichannel processor (Sherwood/Newcastle p965) sounds pretty good in 2 channel but I will want a designated 2 channel preamp to take it to the next level. Thanks in advance.

Mike

BSUfbfan

candyliquor35m wrote:

I've been wondering if these Audio Mirrors are any good

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1145755504

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1145757653

I'm happy with my Audio Experience tube pre- that I bought here from unc2701 but they don't come with remote unless they added one recently.

That's a good question. Hopefully someone has experience with these Preamps. I have read a lot of positive feedback on the Dodd ELP, so I have emailed him to see if he can add remote volume to the unit. I would imagine that it would then be retailed closer to $700 (normal retail $450) and would be a very attractive option.

scottyf

Score yourself a Counterpoint preamp. 3.1's can be had for $4-500, 3000 for $4-700, 5.1's for $7-800. Enjoy it for a while and save some money up. Then ship it off to Mike Elliott at Alta Vista Audio and have him radically improve it. He has made my 3000 the best sounding preamp that I, or anyone else in my circle, has ever heard. And apparently, he can make the 5.1 even better.

I just got my 3000 back from Mike and am just SWIMMING in awesome sound. I might be a bit delirious, so if I'm raving, that's probably the reason.

http://www.altavistaaudio.com/

organ

If you're going to be using it with a SS amp, check the input impedance of your amp and output impedance for the pre first. Find one that's closer to your amp. Mis-matched imp can cause a loud buzz or hum. If you get this problem, you can always have a techie install the proper value resistors at the amps input.

As for your pre amp, you've gotten great reccommendations here. I can't think of any other to add.

BSUfbfan

Thanks for the input guys. I actually ended up getting an Acurus RL-11 Preamp (built by Aragon/Mondial just like my amplifier) and a Tube CD player. Just breaking it in, but the sound is just what I was looking for. The Noise floor on the amp/preamp is amazingly low, and the Tube CD has the warm, detailed sound just like I was hoping.

I couldn't be happier, and am truly amazed at the sound out of these little SDA-CRS's.

I'll upgrade the speaks someday if a pair of SRS2's show up in my neck of the woods, but for now i am loving it.:D

organ

Kick ****! Glad to hear everything is good. Enjoy the tubes:cool:.

How's your Sheng Ya? What kind of tubes does it use? I almost bought one but ended up getting something else. What were you using as a source before the tubed cdp?

BSUfbfan

I was using a Denon DVD/CD player. I was pretty sure it was the weak point of the system, and boy was it ever.

I love the Sheng Ya, it is built like a tank, and the quality of the internal components is amazing. It came with (1)12AU7 tube and (1) 6922 Philips tube. I have already ordered an upgraded RCA Cleartop 12AU7 tube and Amperex & Matsushita 6922's. Let the tube rolling begin....:)

organ

Sweet. Tube rolling is the bomb. Remember to let them break in for at least 50hrs before critical listening.

I can't wait for my cdp to get here. It will be the first time I hear a tubed output cdp.

halo

BSUfbfan wrote:

I was using a Denon DVD/CD player. I was pretty sure it was the weak point of the system, and boy was it ever.

I love the Sheng Ya, it is built like a tank, and the quality of the internal components is amazing. It came with (1)12AU7 tube and (1) 6922 Philips tube. I have already ordered an upgraded RCA Cleartop 12AU7 tube and Amperex & Matsushita 6922's. Let the tube rolling begin....:)

Glad to hear things are working out for you

Did you try any room treatments yet?

McAlister's new pre design may be an excellent choice for you. SQ is outstanding. You know I wouldn't steer you wrong

BSUfbfan

Haven't tried any treatments yet, basically due to the fact that the ringing I was getting on certain songs went away with the addition of the tube CD player. I will do some eventually, but for now I am still trying to listen to all of my CD's again.

I hope to give some impressions on tube rolling soon, but first I need to find out where my tubes are. I ordered them about 3 weeks ago, so I will drop Andy an email.

I may upgrade to a tube preamp in the future, but for now I am quite pleased with my SS unit. I have bypassed it and run the tube CD strait to the amplifier, and there is very little sonic difference which leads me to believe that the preamp is not "coloring" the music. I have to leave the preamp installed however, because without it the system does not get quiet enough for listening in the evening (and I have no gain control on the amplifier). Plus, everytime I shut the tube CD player off and turn it back on, it resets itself to volume 26 (full volume)....:eek: scared the crap right out of me the next time I turned the system on and about blew myself out of the chair (ie. memorex guy ).

audiobliss

Haha! I bet that was an experience, turning it on at full blast! :eek:

Glad you're happy with your system.

halo

BSUfbfan wrote:

I hope to give some impressions on tube rolling soon, but first I need to find out where my tubes are. I ordered them about 3 weeks ago, so I will drop Andy an email.

Andy is a one man operation and he is performing a lot of tests on the tubes before they go out to you - the wait is normal. You end up with quality second to none IMO.