Best Tube PreAmp under $500???
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CH46E
Posts: 3,572
Are there any stereo tube preamps under $500 that have a plethora of input options to possible include Bluetooth under $500?
Looking to make some upgrades soon. My WorkHorse stock has done well.
Looking to make some upgrades soon. My WorkHorse stock has done well.
Comments
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Actually illbuse the Emotiva Copper Bluetooth to rca adapter. So really just looking for some tube preamp recommendations. China-fi is ok too.
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@pitdogg2 tell this man about your new preamp. I think it was a little more than $500 though.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HiFi-Stereo-Tube-Preamplifier-Class-A-Single-ended-XLR-Balanced-Audio-Preamp/254734958245 not $500 but looks interesting.
Check out the matching monoblocks: https://www.ebay.com/itm/283795859795
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SOB, its just happens to have VU meters. I miss my TFM45 I sold to Carlton @honestaquarian
Ok so $300 more. Looks very interesting. Maybe I can sell something else. Hmmmm
Thanks guys. -
This is supposedly another good one around that price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/YS-Audio-SYMPHONIES-PLUS-R-Remote-Tube-Preamplifier/190905561201
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Twice what you are willing to spend, but for many, this is end-game...
https://tmraudio.com/components/preamplifiers/rogue-audio-super-magnum-99-stereo-tube-preamplifier-ninety-nine-modified/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 -
Very neat and tidy design there.
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nooshinjohn wrote: »Twice what you are willing to spend, but for many, this is end-game...
https://tmraudio.com/components/preamplifiers/rogue-audio-super-magnum-99-stereo-tube-preamplifier-ninety-nine-modified/
Ok.... are you trying to get me killed? My wife would frag my **** the night after I got to enjoy it! -
As I said... it is end game, and could be the last pre you buy. EVER!
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 -
lol Rogue Audio is not "end game". Sorry.
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lol Rogue Audio is not "end game". Sorry.
They are an excellent preamp that punched well above their price, and get better with tube-rolling. Were it not for Pass Labs being a heaven-made match with my tube amps, Rogue would be the conversation for my rig.
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 -
Cool, glad you had good luck with their gear. All I'm saying is that I politely disagree with them being an "end game" brand. YMMV.
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Well, my wife won't be so polite about it.
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May I ask what aural attributes you are attempting to gain in moving toward a tube pre? Also, what are you using as your current preamp?
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I'm using my Yamaha Aventage RXA-1050 as a pre/pro. I use it for DTS-X, Atmos and 2 channel.
That feeds into my Hafler XL600.
I'm hoping to bring a little warmth and richness to my soon to be finished Infinity RSII for 2 channel use. I'm hoping a 2 channel dedicated tube pre will sound better than my AVR.
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@pitdogg2 tell this man about your new preamp. I think it was a little more than $500 though.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silk-Audio-SA33T-Yaqin-manufactured-All-Tube-Preamplifier-US-Ship-Warranty/224164860149?hash=item34314450f5:g:qs8AAOSwGaVeSFxP
Of course I removed the tube guard threw in some nos tubes and love it. No blue tooth anything, just a remote for volume and source select.
Ray the owner of silk audio is good folk. -
I’ve had the Rogue 99, you would enjoy it.Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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nooshinjohn wrote: »Twice what you are willing to spend, but for many, this is end-game...
https://tmraudio.com/components/preamplifiers/rogue-audio-super-magnum-99-stereo-tube-preamplifier-ninety-nine-modified/
Ok.... are you trying to get me killed? My wife would frag my **** the night after I got to enjoy it!
The last smile on your face is all that matters. -
nooshinjohn wrote: »Twice what you are willing to spend, but for many, this is end-game...
https://tmraudio.com/components/preamplifiers/rogue-audio-super-magnum-99-stereo-tube-preamplifier-ninety-nine-modified/
Ok.... are you trying to get me killed? My wife would frag my **** the night after I got to enjoy it!
The last smile on your face is all that matters.
Just ask Nelson Rockefeller.
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mhardy6647 wrote: »nooshinjohn wrote: »Twice what you are willing to spend, but for many, this is end-game...
https://tmraudio.com/components/preamplifiers/rogue-audio-super-magnum-99-stereo-tube-preamplifier-ninety-nine-modified/
Ok.... are you trying to get me killed? My wife would frag my **** the night after I got to enjoy it!
The last smile on your face is all that matters.
Just ask Nelson Rockefeller.
😂
SDA 2BTL, VPI Prime, Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII, Rogue Ares Magnum, McCormack DNA 0.5 Gold, ARC LS-17se, Cambridge cxn v2, MIT AVT MA ic’s and speaker cables, ps audio stellar power plant 3 -
SOB, its just happens to have VU meters. I miss my TFM45 I sold to Carlton @honestaquarian
Ok so $300 more. Looks very interesting. Maybe I can sell something else. Hmmmm
Thanks guys.
Well you ain't gettin it or those white shirts back!
So THERE
NYAH! -
@pitdogg2 tell this man about your new preamp. I think it was a little more than $500 though.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silk-Audio-SA33T-Yaqin-manufactured-All-Tube-Preamplifier-US-Ship-Warranty/224164860149?hash=item34314450f5:g:qs8AAOSwGaVeSFxP
Of course I removed the tube guard threw in some nos tubes and love it. No blue tooth anything, just a remote for volume and source select.
Ray the owner of silk audio is good folk.
That looks like a real possibility. -
Will you be needing HT bypass?
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Not exactly. I have open access the the rear of all my equipment. So changing a few rca cable is not a problem when going from HT to 2 channel.
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I'm hoping to bring a little warmth and richness to my soon to be finished Infinity RSII for 2 channel use. I'm hoping a 2 channel dedicated tube pre will sound better than my AVR.
I would assume that any 2-channel dedicated preamp, tube or otherwise, would have easily heard audible benefits over using an AVR as a pre.
I struggle with the "warmth and richness" aspect that many enthusiasts seem to chase with tube gear. In my experience, competently designed tube preamps and power amps do not add abundant artificial coloration in the form of a warm, rich sound.
Instead, I find them to provide excellent neutrality and tonal accuracy, with the tube element adding to the soundstage width, height, and dimensionality. 3D imaging cues are also quite abundant with well designed tube gear.
Sure, a tube power amp will often give a different sensation of bass impact and power. Sometimes this mid-bass boost gives the illusion of additional richness. However, I think it's important to consider the type of music that you're listening to, and if that music itself has "warm and rich" characteristics to it to begin with. If not, I'm not sure I understand the desire to artificially add that after the fact. If you want to experiment with this, you could always put a tube buffer into the mix. I know Ivan has one that takes 6SN7 tubes that he's pleased with.
Anyway, not trying to talk you out of a tube preamp, just sharing some of my experiences on the matter. Good luck with whatever direction you end up going in. -
@pitdogg2 tell this man about your new preamp. I think it was a little more than $500 though.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silk-Audio-SA33T-Yaqin-manufactured-All-Tube-Preamplifier-US-Ship-Warranty/224164860149?hash=item34314450f5:g:qs8AAOSwGaVeSFxP
Of course I removed the tube guard threw in some nos tubes and love it. No blue tooth anything, just a remote for volume and source select.
Ray the owner of silk audio is good folk.
That looks like a real possibility.
Cheap Chinese tube gear is just that...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 -
I do believe Chris has the same tube buffer as mine but better caps....
The tubed pre is a better presentation than my tube buffer.
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I do but I keep running into a ground loop issue. Pita.
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I'm hoping to bring a little warmth and richness to my soon to be finished Infinity RSII for 2 channel use. I'm hoping a 2 channel dedicated tube pre will sound better than my AVR.
I would assume that any 2-channel dedicated preamp, tube or otherwise, would have easily heard audible benefits over using an AVR as a pre.
I struggle with the "warmth and richness" aspect that many enthusiasts seem to chase with tube gear. In my experience, competently designed tube preamps and power amps do not add abundant artificial coloration in the form of a warm, rich sound.
Instead, I find them to provide excellent neutrality and tonal accuracy, with the tube element adding to the soundstage width, height, and dimensionality. 3D imaging cues are also quite abundant with well designed tube gear.
Sure, a tube power amp will often give a different sensation of bass impact and power. Sometimes this mid-bass boost gives the illusion of additional richness. However, I think it's important to consider the type of music that you're listening to, and if that music itself has "warm and rich" characteristics to it to begin with. If not, I'm not sure I understand the desire to artificially add that after the fact. If you want to experiment with this, you could always put a tube buffer into the mix. I know Ivan has one that takes 6SN7 tubes that he's pleased with.
Anyway, not trying to talk you out of a tube preamp, just sharing some of my experiences on the matter. Good luck with whatever direction you end up going in.
I hear what you are saying. I'm not a purist per say. I do like that amps sound different and or color the music a bit. So far my favorite "sounding" amp was my NAD 906 before it went south.
I would love to use a tube amp but 5hats a no go for the RSII. At least not for one in my price range. So I figured a tube pre amp might do the trick. -
All audio equipment colors the sound to some degree from the microphone to the speakers.
