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#1
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Preamp recommendation? straight wire w/ gain, no frills, excellent quality...
Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. |
#2
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"Roscoe East" wrote in message
... Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Take a look at MacIntosh's lineup. Most of them feature balanced outs as well as at least one balanced in. The one I am most familiar with is the C45 which also features six-channel analog pass-through (unbalanced only, though). Can't recall if they are true balanced throughout or not; I seem to recall that at least one of the preamps is. |
#3
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On 12 Jul 2005 23:44:06 GMT, "Roscoe East"
wrote: Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. You should be able to pick up something like an old Krell PAM7 or KSP-7B on ebay. Still pretty much state of that art, and they certainly don't make 'em any better these days! -- Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering |
#4
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Roscoe East wrote:
Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself. It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, OPA2134 opamps and DRV135 as line drivers. My front plate is only 4' by 1', so I use a cable whip on a 25pole connector, There are also 4LEDs as volume indicators. I have been testing it extensivly vs. a straight wire and can not detect any difference in sound. It still has no front- and backplate, but that's what I want to drill today. :-) Finally I can just switch the sources and don't have to plug/unplug the XLR connectors when I want to watch a video. I might put up a little pic somewhere when it's finished. -- ciao Ban Bordighera, Italy |
#5
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"Roscoe East" wrote in message
... Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. Try www.accuphon.co.uk for their Model 88 pre-amp. It'll need a 24V wall wart though. Graham Holloway |
#6
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"Harry Lavo" wrote in message
... "Roscoe East" wrote in message ... Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. It seems to me that you need not look any further than to the manufacturer of one of the amps you intend using; the Brystons. They have any or all the features you desire plus an assurance of complete compatibility with one of your amps. What in heaven more could you possibly ask for? |
#7
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Audio Research makes this kind of stuff.
http://www.audioresearch.com/ http://www.audioresearch.com/products.html Roscoe East wrote: Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. |
#8
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"Ban" wrote in message ...
AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself. It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, OPA2134 opamps and DRV135 as line drivers. My front plate is only 4' by 1', so I use a cable whip on a 25pole connector, There are also 4LEDs as volume indicators. I have been testing it extensivly vs. a straight wire and can not detect any difference in sound. It still has no front- and backplate, but that's what I want to drill today. :-) I mentioned McIntosh. Also many of the ARC preamps have balanced ins and outs. Also, Levinson and Bel Canto? |
#9
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On 14 Jul 2005 23:08:17 GMT, "Ban" wrote:
Roscoe East wrote: Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself. Whaaaat? Sure there is. Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why the OP doesn't use one, and of course there's a whole range from BAT. Bit of a clue in the name, really - *Balanced* Audio Technology. -- Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering |
#10
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Stewart Pinkerton wrote:
Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why the OP doesn't use one Because the original poster (me) is asking for recommendations, after which I will investigate the most appealing recommendations, then hopefully arrive at a decision & make a purchase. It may indeed wind up being a Bryston BP26. But it may not; there've been some intruiging alternatives suggested (via private email, a practice which baffles me, but that's a topic for another thread) including the Sonic Euphoria PLC & the Adcom GFP-750, both of which cost far less than the Bryston. But far be it for me to chose the Bryston just because I already own one of their amps, without investigating what else is out there. And in case you're wondering why I don't use an FM Acoustics preamp: because my wife won't let me sell our house to get one. (I lucked into that power amp when a broadcast equipment manufacturer who had the FM800A in their listening lab won a huge settlement from the city that was evicting them & was able to leave all their equipment behind!) |
#11
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Ban wrote:
Roscoe East wrote: Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself. It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, I would be concerned about using this part, since it's an instrumentation amp with a very low slew rate. You may want to do a 20 KHz full power distortion measurement on this. |
#12
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Chung wrote:
Ban wrote: Roscoe East wrote: Any recomendations for an excellent sounding, built-like-a-brick-****house, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for top notch analog design & construction. Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice. It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers. Thanks. AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself. It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, I would be concerned about using this part, since it's an instrumentation amp with a very low slew rate. You may want to do a 20 KHz full power distortion measurement on this. Hey Chung, you are really attentive. I wrote a typo, these line receivers are labeled INA2137, I got already the panic and looked with the microscope on the PCB. These ones have 14V/us slewrate and 4MHz BW. -- ciao Ban Bordighera, Italy |
#13
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On 16 Jul 2005 14:57:45 GMT, "Roscoe East"
wrote: Stewart Pinkerton wrote: Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why the OP doesn't use one Because the original poster (me) is asking for recommendations, after which I will investigate the most appealing recommendations, then hopefully arrive at a decision & make a purchase. It may indeed wind up being a Bryston BP26. But it may not; there've been some intruiging alternatives suggested (via private email, a practice which baffles me, but that's a topic for another thread) including the Sonic Euphoria PLC & the Adcom GFP-750, both of which cost far less than the Bryston. But far be it for me to chose the Bryston just because I already own one of their amps, without investigating what else is out there. I would heartily recommend the Adcom GFP-750, an excellent unit by any standard. -- Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering |
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