Another Pre-amp Suggestion thread

Lowell_M

I did some searching and didn't really find what I wanted... here's where I am at...

I am still planning what I want to do for a 2-channel system in my living room. I want to get some more listening time with the LSi9's, but so far what I am thinking is LSi9's, an ADCOM amp (545 or 555) and a pre-amp, which is undetermined.

I talked with H9 briefly about pre-amps and want to get some other thoughts thrown in.... I don't have a budget to give you because I don't really have an understanding of what you get for your money in a pre-amp. I want something entrylevel that isn't going to cause me to save my milk money for a year, but has great sound for the $. My only frame of reference for Pre-amps is a quick listen of a nakamichi and an Audcom 110 tube-pre. I absolutely loved the Audcom.

So, is that enough info to get some suggestions?

Lowell_M

Source will be a CD player of some sort.

heiney9

Hopefully on our next get together DKG999 will bring the Audcom along to demo again. Tubes and LSi's don't always go hand in hand because the LSi's can be a bit laid back. That being said perhaps a tube pre w/ a solid state amp and Lsi's would be a good match.

I believe DKG and I were talking about Jan 27 or 28. When you get back home check your calendar and see if that works for you. What is your time frame on putting this 2-ch system together?

Also part of what you heard was what the DAC was presenting as well as the LSi's. We haven't really talked about a DAC yet, but I'll let you hear the system w/ and w/o. But we can discuss that in person. I'll do some thinking, but as I mentioned to you when you were here the only Adcom pre worth anything is the GFP-750 and used they still run $600-750.

george daniel

FWIW, an adcom pre (750)was just listed for 730.00 on AC.

McLoki

I have an old Yamaha c-85 (purchased by me in the late 80's) It was a good pre in its time. (early solid state - parametric eq, no remote (model before remotes came out for the pre's)

If you want to borrow it for awhile, you are welcome to. You can bring it back during chicagofest (late June).

It is currently not being used. Not for sale, but you are welcome to use it for comparison or just to get you by till you get something else if you want....

Michael

Lowell_M

McLoki wrote:

I have an old Yamaha c-85 (purchased by me in the late 80's) It was a good pre in its time. (early solid state - parametric eq, no remote (model before remotes came out for the pre's)

If you want to borrow it for awhile, you are welcome to. You can bring it back during chicagofest (late June).

It is currently not being used. Not for sale, but you are welcome to use it for comparison or just to get you by till you get something else if you want....

Michael

Michael, Thanks! I may take you up on that if I put everything else together first. I'm not in a hurry right now. It will probably be a few months before I start snagging things off the flea market and the gon. May even be after the chicago-fest, but we will see. I've been too busy to enjoy the rig that I have. (I tend to plan way ahead to make sure I understand what I really want, of course, this depends on the get together with H9, since after our first listening session I made an impulse buy on my ADCOM amp and haven't second guessed it a bit)

H9, I have to check with my social coordinator when I get home, but right now I can't think of any reason the 27th or 28th wouldn't work.

Music Joe

How about a passive design? Interconnects under 2 meters?
See if you can get a passive on loan.
If your brave you could try the "Bolero test".
http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Linestages.html#BOLERO

dkg999

Aaron - I've also got a couple of like new Parasound P/HP-850 pre's setting in the spare gear closet. One of the best cheap SS pre's out there. I'll bring it to our next get together. Doug.

Refefer

dkg999 wrote:

Aaron - I've also got a couple of like new Parasound P/HP-850 pre's setting in the spare gear closet. One of the best cheap SS pre's out there. I'll bring it to our next get together. Doug.

I second that, I'm using one right now. Sounds very nice for the cash, especially if you don't care about remote controls.

Lowell_M

dkg999 wrote:

Aaron - I've also got a couple of like new Parasound P/HP-850 pre's setting in the spare gear closet. One of the best cheap SS pre's out there. I'll bring it to our next get together. Doug.

Doug, You must have a big closet, dude. The only extra crap I have in my closet are a couple gym bags and yahtzee. You've got the coolest (and seemingly endless) spare gear stash.

dkg999

Once you get past the audio gear in my closet, it gets really, really, scary :eek:

Actually, my audio gear stash is about 20% of what it was 3 years ago! After 35 years in this hobby, I might of actually figured out what I like! Well, at least I'm getting closer

Mike Reeter

dkg999 wrote:

Aaron - I've also got a couple of like new Parasound P/HP-850 pre's setting in the spare gear closet. One of the best cheap SS pre's out there. I'll bring it to our next get together. Doug.

I will also 2nd that,a very good low $ pre...

phipiper10

If I can just jump in here, I see a couple of postives for the parasound php 850. This is on my short list of preamps I'm hoping to obtain shortly.

Another option I was considering was Channel Islands Audio VPC-1. I realize this is passive vs the parasound. In either case it would be my first experience with an actual preamp separated from my receiver, so in either case it's really an experiment. My CDP puts out 2.2v so I think this should be fine if I went this route. As you can tell I'm trying get a reasonable preamp relatively little money.

Any other thoughts/ warnings regarding either of these? I'm open to other suggestions and have been watching ebay for all sorts of preamps from NAD carver, hafler etc...

Thanks for any additional thoughts.

del44

Have you considered Rotel? The RC-1070 sells for about $350-$400 used. I believe it has a remote also. The RC-1090 can be had for about $600 or $700. Pretty good bang for the buck.

phipiper10

I'm not ruling anything out except money . The two I mentioned can be had for less than $150. I'm really only in a situation (due to WAF) where I can just get a teaser of a preamp.

Later this year or when polk releases their new speaker line up will hopefully upgrade possibly to LSis when everyone here dumps theirs for the new stuff.
HAH!

Will revisit the rotel's which is where I started but what I had seen didn't necessarily impress for the money. Used stuff is a little tougher to audition....so I'm willing to just give stuff a try.

Thanks!

billbillw

If remote control is not important, the B&K Pro10 MC is often mentioned as being one of the better <$500 preamps. It has passive or active feature, and a pretty good phono stage if you ever decide to get into vinyl. The external power supply is rare in its price range.