pre amp to work with gamut D200 Mark 3

[leachimnosneb]

I am looking for the best active pre amp to match the Gamut and would welcome any suggestions. I am auditioning a DIY project and a s/h Modwright 36.5 next week but the latter is pretty expensive. I am wondering if any one out there has any other ideas? Either valve or solid state. The matching Gamut pre(D3i) is balanced dual mono but not exactly a steal at c.£6500k.

Thanks very much

[mick]

I have the Gamut and use a Tom Evans Vibe which I think is superb. Depending on whether or not you only use cd and could do with an upgrade Cloney's have a Wadia 861se which has a digital input and a volume control for 3500euro. They also have
a Opus 21 which has the same for 1500euro. As the Gamut is very revealing the pre-amp needs to be of high quality. Valve pre-amps by Croft or Quad would be a minimum imho.

[Fran]

You won't get a valve preamp thats balanced out I think. Are you using the balanced inputs on the Gamut, or are you happy enough to use single ended inputs only?


Fran

[Derek]

I had a Classee CP 60 with my D200 it worked beautifully I was very happy with the sound.
Then I discovered Airtight!

[Marcus]

I am also looking for a pre-amp that will match my Cary monoblocks, with balanced output, so these might help. Those I am shortlisting so far are:
E.A.R 868 (with phono stage)
Cary SLP-05
Audio Research REF3

All are Valve and all have Balanced Out.
I've also heard great things about the Modwright, I would be interested in your thoughts when you have had a chance to demo.

I'll let you know if I come across any other contenders.

[leachimnosneb]

Will keep you posted on the Modwright. Arriving Wednesday. Its not the most up to date one which has a separate power supply and which retails for 10k$. EAR 868s seem to go for c.2.5k stg s/h and the ref3 slightly more. They are beyond my price range at the moment but I think you are on the right track with both those pre amps on your valve shortlist from what I have read (if you can believe all the reviews)I understand that the EAR 912 is particularly good.

[Fran]

The 868 is not true balanced - it takes the balanced input, converts it to SE and runs it through the valve circuit, then converts that back to balanced for the output.

That's not to say that it doesn't sound excellent mind you... The Internet fora are very complementary. Tubes are cheap too....


Fran.