Need Advice: Melos Tube Hybrid Preamp MA-111
dpowell
Posts: 3,068
Local seller in San Diego is offering a Melos Tube Hybrid Preamp MA-111 for $580. I know there is a difference between a straight tube pre and a hybrid but I don't know what those differences are. I'm just keeping my eyes open for an entry into a tubed pre which will replace my B&K Ref 10 pre. Any thoughts appreciated.
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polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
Post edited by dpowell on
Comments
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A pre-amp just like a power amp has input stage (front end) and output stage (back end) circuitry so my guess is one or the other is transistor based and one is tube based. If I had to guess (a total guess) I'd say the input is either tube or tube buffered and the output stage is transistor.
But then again it could be the opposite and have a tube buffered output like many tube cdp's
Google give you any results?
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
I'll keep googling to see if I can figure it out. I also saw a Musical Fidelity X10-D Tube Buffer that goes in between the CDP and the pre for $130. Does a good tubed preamp accomplish the same thing except with one less set of interconnects?____________________________________________________________
polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050 -
I'll keep googling to see if I can figure it out. I also saw a Musical Fidelity X10-D Tube Buffer that goes in between the CDP and the pre for $130. Does a good tubed preamp accomplish the same thing except with one less set of interconnects?
A good tubed pre-amp is much better than a buffer for the reason you mention and many others.
How many tubes in the Melos and where are they physically located and what tubes are they? Sometimes that info can help."Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
Melos made very good gear in their day.It's been my experience with Melos gear that the SHA Gold(if you want a remote) or an SHA 1(no remote) make very good pre amps,and both have very respectable headphone circuits,and have quite a following in other circles.The SHA series use the popular 6DJ8 and varients,I do not know much about yours except that it was made in 89 IIRC. I think that you will be happier with a tubed pre as opposed to a tube buffer,YMMV--good luck.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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Thanks, I just saw a Sonic Frontier's SFL-1 hybrid pre on Audiogon. It appears to have 1 tube and I'm guessing this Melos would be the same. I'll just wait on a tubed pre, especially since those can be had for not too much more than the asking on this.____________________________________________________________
polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050 -
Chances are if it's a single tube it's at the output and then it's just "buffered" rather than a full blown tube circuit.
Best to wait for a full tubed pre-amp; in the long run you'll be more content.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
Thanks, I just saw a Sonic Frontier's SFL-1 hybrid pre on Audiogon. It appears to have 1 tube and I'm guessing this Melos would be the same. I'll just wait on a tubed pre, especially since those can be had for not too much more than the asking on this.
The Melos Sha 1 has two tubes, people who own them tend to hang on to them,but you can find em for sale (stock and modded) at headfi quite often.
Good luck in your search.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
