Need a preamp....any advice is appreciated!

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Lightstar1
Lightstar1 Posts: 56
edited April 2008 in Electronics
Sure hope you can point me in the right direction. I want a good preamp for my new setup. I am running a pair of SDA SRS speakers with a Carver 1.0t amp. Probably will get something more powerful later but blew my budget, or most of it, on the SRS speakers. What would you suggest as a good preamp to use....my budget is under 500.00. Saw a Pioneer Spec-1 for sale....is it any good? Please give me your recommendations....I am open to what you think. Thanks!
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    Ask Pearsall001.:D
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 52,301
    edited April 2008
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    Go tubes or go home.

    A few suggestions to get you started.

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1213309730

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1212072524

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1213489347
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • AudioFilet
    AudioFilet Posts: 235
    edited April 2008
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    Here is one that I am considering:

    http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAZPRE2
    2 Channel rig:
    LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
    Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
    Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
    Music Hall MMF 5.1
    Furman Elite 15

    HT rig:
    HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
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  • del44
    del44 Posts: 686
    edited April 2008
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    Going old school with the Spec-1. In 1977 I bought the Spec-1 Spec-4. Totally awesome gear. No remote though. Unless your really into the vintage stuff, you might want to go with something newer. I,ve seen the Rotel RC-1070 going used in the $300-$350 area. Nice, affordable pre.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2008
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    this one might not be bad at all
    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1212636596
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,546
    edited April 2008
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    As cool as the vintage Pioneer stuff is (yes, I'm a fan), there's far too many switches, knobs, and other bad things on those preamps that the signal has to route thru.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Source: Rotel CD14MkII CD Player - Speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Texas42
    Texas42 Posts: 413
    edited April 2008
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    I have a buddy with an Odyssey Tempest preamp for sale (with remote and separate sub out). It's an excellent preamp (I owned it a while and traded it to him for some speakers he needed to divest himself of due to space requirements). He hasn't listed it yet (he uses Audiogon). Let me know if you are interested. It's right around your budget (no more than $500).
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited April 2008
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    Audio Alchemy DLC

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Sony 75" Bravia 4K | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Rotel Michi P5 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • Lightstar1
    Lightstar1 Posts: 56
    edited April 2008
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    Sounds like the old Spec1 is not the way to go.....Looks like you guys recommend a tube preamp.....I had not considered that since I have never had any tube gear. How much better or how does the tube preamp compare to the "solid state"??? More suggestions welcome!!
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2008
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    The most noticeable difference after adding a tube preamp into my rig was that the higher frequency "glare" was smoothed out. It took away the rough edges. Before this I was using my HK AVR635 as a preamp.
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  • Marty913
    Marty913 Posts: 760
    edited April 2008
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    Lightstar1 wrote: »
    Sure hope you can point me in the right direction. I want a good preamp for my new setup. I am running a pair of SDA SRS speakers with a Carver 1.0t amp. Probably will get something more powerful later but blew my budget, or most of it, on the SRS speakers. What would you suggest as a good preamp to use....my budget is under 500.00. Saw a Pioneer Spec-1 for sale....is it any good? Please give me your recommendations....I am open to what you think. Thanks!

    If you're just looking for a simple preamp there's an Audiosource Pre One in the Flea Market for $100 shipped. Some of the early NAD's are excellent. On the other hand, if you're looking for optical / digital, future video / home theater expansions, etc. you might consider a receiver for use as a preamp.

    I used an HK receiver for a while with my Carver amp until I found an Outlaw 950 for $400. There's a lot of ways to go.
    Sony 60'' SXRD 1080p
    Amp = Carver AV-705THX 5-Channel
    Processor = NAD T747
    Panasonic BD35 Blu-Ray
    Main = SDA-1C Studio with RD0s, spikes, XO rebuild, rings, I/C upgrade
    Center=Polk CS10, Surround = Athena Dipoles, Sub= Boston 12HO
    Music/Video Streaming = Netgear NEO550
    TT = Audio Technica
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  • Fongolio
    Fongolio Posts: 3,516
    edited April 2008
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    I just scored a Carver C-1 off CanuckAudiomart for $160.00 and it sounds great. Also has sonic holography (which I love) good for mm and mc cartridges. Very warm sounding with my Hafler amp. An oldie but a goodie (the pre-amp, the amp, and the turntable are all great old gear).
    SDA-1C (full mods)
    Carver TFM-55
    NAD 1130 Pre-amp
    Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
    The Clamp
    Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
    Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
    Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
    Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
    Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
    ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
    Ben's IC's
    Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM
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