tlarwa Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 (edited) I am selling my beloved Parks Audio Budgie phono pre. It's the 3rd one Shannon built, and has the (IMO) more desirable case with wood end caps. I sent the unit back to Shannon in early 2013 and he upgraded the grounding scheme and also installed an SUT with Cinemag transformers. The pre features the Exacta loading scheme, with top accessible DIP switches to set the loading. The MM or MC LO/HI selection is done via DIP switches accessed via a port on the underside of the chassis. Simple, simple. The pre is in excellent condition, and performs flawlessly. I am including the stock EH 6922 tubeset that it shipped with, as well as a matched pair of Holland orange label 6922 tubes, which have been considered to be the best tubeset for this unit. The power cord/charger is also included. The pre is dead quiet, even with my 99 dB speakers. This is the message from Shannon when I was getting ready to make the upgrade: Hi Tom, I started using an internal SUT of my own design with CineMag transformers about a year ago. The performance is amazing! But the gain settings required opening up the Budgie to flip switches or swap cables (to go back to MM). I’ve modified it slightly in the past few weeks and the design is now switchable from a 1” access hole in the bottom rear of the Budgie. I can send pictures this weekend. It is also backwards compatible with your Budgie. You can switch from MM passthru, MC lo (1:18) and MC hi (1:36). I’m super excited about it, and feel this makes the Budgie one of the best preamps out there. I use an Ortofon MC 100 with the MC hi and a Denon DL-103 with the MC lo. It just sounds like pure gold. The caveats with SUTs in general are that almost all of them are external boxes. This creates a huge problem and attracts hum like a magnet. Even shielded and short RCA cables don’t alleviate the problem. The second problem is that the RCA cable that connects to the SUT needs to be tuned with an RC filter to prevent ringing, and its associated harshness. The SUTs ideally need to be in the same enclosure with a very short cable, which the Budgie does. So the Budgie SUT has no hum and no ringing, which lets the SUT really stand out doing what it does well. Let me know if you are at all interested, and I can send more info and pictures. I do have the SUT boards and CineMag transformers in stock. Warm Regards, Shannon Parks http://www.parksaudiollc.com Asking $625 OBO. I'll pick up shipping if you use PP gift. Please contact me with any questions. Tom Edited January 20, 2015 by tlarwa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Bought a new phono pre, so this one has to go! $625 OBO with free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) That sir... is a nice unit. if I am understanding you, he made a board that moved the cinemags into the pre amp body? I can't imagine there is enough room inside that thing for cinemags. maybe list the cinemag model used in this conversion. FWIW, my budgie pre and sut are DEAD QUITE... even around other power and audio sources. Edited January 20, 2015 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I beleive they are the CMQEE-3440AH transformers. And yep, they're in there! Shannon was planning to market an all-in-one unit like this, but must have decided to stick with a separate SUT instead. I believe I was one of the first (if not the first) to get the per built like this. It's incredibly flexible, and quiet. Plus, it doesnt take up much room at all and eliminates a set of cables between the SUT and the preamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Nice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Very Nice and seems like an excellent price to boot,My vinyl days are behind me GLWS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 sent via the bay... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Schu, check your PM's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Sold pending payment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 May your vinyl warp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Not nice Earl, Didnt you just get the nbs with MM / MC ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornmiester Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 No MC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 May your vinyl warp! Blame Schu... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 May your vinyl warp! Blame Schu... Schu's vinyl warped many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Cha Ching tlarwa! I might have a budgie separates available... they are basically the exact same units. I have no idea why I bought this... but I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Cha Ching tlarwa! I might have a budgie separates available... they are basically the exact same units. I have no idea why I bought this... but I did. warped vinyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlarwa Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I dont know either, but I'm glad you did Pays for the Jolida JD9 I just bought. I needed more gain with the 1.5W SET and passive pre combo I just went to. Otherwise I would never have sold it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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