Preamp Experiences

[Diapason]

It sounds ridiculous, but it seemed to work well on some tracks, adding scale and realism, but on some other tracks things sounded strangely bleached. Ultimately it just lacked that certain magic that I'll know when I hear it...

[cybot]

I remember connecting my cp direct to the power amp (Croft Series V) - after I had seen Noel Cloney doing it - and I was literally catapulted across the room with the sheer vibrancy/dynamics/loudness of the sound. It was a thrilling first listen to be sure but ultimately wearing after a while. But I do remember when I rerouted it through the pre the sound suddenly sounded far more natural but ultimately lacking the sheer force of the power amp connection. So I can understand what Ivor was saying earlier.....

[terrybites]

Welcome back to the pre amp user group Ivor! Not sure what cartridge you have fitted on your Roksan but if it's mc and your new pre/phono is mm only, I may be able to help. Have a step-up transformer that could easily be traded for wine. Let me know.

Steve. Having only just purchased (and still very coveting) of my new 'Vector' I'm prepared to pitch it against (at the risk of losing my reason), the Jadis et al. She's a sweetie and doesn't require Brasso.

Gloves off. Time and place please.

Terry

[Ivor]

Welcome back to the pre amp user group Ivor! Not sure what cartridge you have fitted on your Roksan but if it's mc and your new pre/phono is mm only, I may be able to help. Have a step-up transformer that could easily be traded for wine. Let me know.


Terry

I'm not seriously considering the phono stage as I have an Einstein phono amp doing sterling service. While the Audio Innovations stage might be "quite good" the Einstein is a top range amp. BTW I think it's MM or MC at the flick of a switch but, as I say, that aspect is just a curiosity.

http://www.aaudioimports.com/UploadImag ... view_1.pdf

[terrybites]

You're well sorted so Ivor. I'll be in for my usual in any case.

T

[Ivor]

MMMMMmmmm all this talk of pre amps has put the goo on me.... I've gone direct to a power amp for years (well power amp with gain) and have been quite happy but now this thread comes along and gets me thinking that maybe I should try a pre amp....

Well the Audio Innovations arrived promptly on Thursday but before I even opened the box there was a definite rattle. Not what you want to hear when you know there's a mid 1990s valve amp inside. A capacitor had come loose in transit and was bouncing off tubes, caps wines and everything else it could come in contact with. This yoke wasn't going to amplify anything for a while.
A quick call to Fran (aka "The Clinic") and I stopped crying. "Bring it down Monday and I'll solder it back on" - the exact sentence I had hoped to hear! I knew it wasn't rocket science but it was going to be fiddly, the wires had come away at each end of the cap and it needed more finesse than I, or my soldering, could bring.

In fairness it only took Fran a few minutes in his secret laboratory. There were flashes of light, blue flames followed by manic laughter and then he returned with a neatly soldered sweet smelling amp (the smell was silicone used to keep the well travelled cap in place).
As it happens Maciej was there too with speaker/amp problems. Again quickly solved with a few new fuses. This left plenty of time for listening to a very impressive pair of speakers which were designed and built by forum members.... I'll say no more for now but just to say this... we live in very exciting times!

It was only this morning that I got a chance to connect up the pre to the power and run a signal through it all. There's a definte hum coming from the pre but that could be an easy fix. Slightly more worrying was the sound from the phono stage... electronic clicks and hissing isn't right. But again, it too might be an easy fix. Using my existing phono stage via AUX the sound wasn't bad at all..
the sound through the CD player was really good, REALLY good. The improvements were subtle but there was more space, more defined sound and more engagement. Setup isn't finished yet, the odd shape of the preamp means I have to juggle things around a little bit more.

I suppose I may have to juggle with the notion of a slight hum versus a slight improvement too? More listening required.

[Diapason]

I'm dreading the idea of my new pre being shipped from the UK, and that brilliant/awful moment where you open it to find out what's what. Aren't we lucky to have Fran in our midst!!

Tell us now, Ivor, is the hum through the speakers or from the amp itself?

[Ivor]

Tell us now, Ivor, is the hum through the speakers or from the amp itself?

Both. Standing over the amp it's audible - transformer hum I presume and no biggie really. But it (or some other hum - phono stage I'm looking at you!) comes through the speakers as well. Not a problem when music is playing but I'm used to inky black silences when music isn't playing or when it's very quiet.

[Diapason]

Right. Some new valves recently added to my monos have introduced a hum through the speakers, but the increase in quality in every other way is SO large that I'm trying to ignore it. Of course, I also just ordered more valves, so we'll see...

[tony]

I'm dreading the idea of my new pre being shipped from the UK, and that brilliant/awful moment where you open it to find out what's what. Aren't we lucky to have Fran in our midst!!

Two valve amps came for me through ups and once well packed enough you should be fine. If it is the original packaging which I reckon it will be for the graaf it should be 'bomb proof.
My prima luna was well packed and the issue I had was something that was there already nothing to do with posting. Cant comment on Ivors but maybe it was badly packed or the amp was heading that way anyway. Seems to have ended well thanks to Fran

I told you Ivor those speaker things were kind of special.Same colour as your quads! Sure nobody would notice if you swapped them in.