eth2 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 (edited) I bought a used Grounded Grid preamp, preassembled. It is DEAD quiet and sounds quite nice. It is also very light. I replaced a Cary, which has significantly more power, but is not as quiet. Also, the Cary has a headphone output, balance controls, muting, remote control, etc. Nonetheless, this is a very nice sounding preamp. A new kit is $499, plus there are some recommended mods such as a better volume control which mine has. Edited May 13, 2016 by eth2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 THOUGHTS on mods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Well there ya go... How about some pictures? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 The only mods mine has are the recommended stepped volume control, quality M- caps & vintage Amperex tubes (Bugle Boy) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjd Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Based on many of your great comments on grounded grid preamp, I bought a Wyetek Ruby preamp. The reviews were stellar (but aren't they all) and I got a good deal. I bought a used Grounded Grid preamp, preassembled. It is DEAD quiet and sounds quite nice. It is also very light. I replaced a Cary, which has significantly more power, but is not as quiet. Also, the Cary has a headphone output, balance controls, muting, remote control, etc. Nonetheless, this is a very nice sounding preamp. A new kit is $499, plus there are some recommended mods such as a better volume control which mine has. Excellent strategy or lucky, it doesn't matter either way since it appears that you were able to successfully use the Wyetek Ruby to divert the mounting attention being given to the Grounded Grid preamp while you negotiated its purchase. And to think that I almost linked the Audiogon listing to your pre amplifier thread. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Based on many of your great comments on grounded grid preamp, I bought a Wyetek Ruby preamp. The reviews were stellar (but aren't they all) and I got a good deal. I bought a used Grounded Grid preamp, preassembled. It is DEAD quiet and sounds quite nice. It is also very light. I replaced a Cary, which has significantly more power, but is not as quiet. Also, the Cary has a headphone output, balance controls, muting, remote control, etc. Nonetheless, this is a very nice sounding preamp. A new kit is $499, plus there are some recommended mods such as a better volume control which mine has. Excellent strategy or lucky, it doesn't matter either way since it appears that you were able to successfully use the Wyetek Ruby to divert the mounting attention being given to the Grounded Grid preamp while you negotiated its purchase. And to think that I almost linked the Audiogon listing to your pre amplifier thread. For $475 shipped, it was too good to pass up.Now following A1UC's logic, my "footwork" in acquiring this fine piece should raise its price by at least $600. So...any offers for $1,000? A1UC??? How about it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul79 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 A1UC and Logic should never be in the same sentence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyOwn Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Based on many of your great comments on grounded grid preamp, I bought a Wyetek Ruby preamp. The reviews were stellar (but aren't they all) and I got a good deal. I bought a used Grounded Grid preamp, preassembled. It is DEAD quiet and sounds quite nice. It is also very light. I replaced a Cary, which has significantly more power, but is not as quiet. Also, the Cary has a headphone output, balance controls, muting, remote control, etc. Nonetheless, this is a very nice sounding preamp. A new kit is $499, plus there are some recommended mods such as a better volume control which mine has. Excellent strategy or lucky, it doesn't matter either way since it appears that you were able to successfully use the Wyetek Ruby to divert the mounting attention being given to the Grounded Grid preamp while you negotiated its purchase. And to think that I almost linked the Audiogon listing to your pre amplifier thread. For $475 shipped, it was too good to pass up.Now following A1UC's logic, my "footwork" in acquiring this fine piece should raise its price by at least $600. So...any offers for $1,000? A1UC??? How about it? Nice.........I will be building this because it will be a real treat to Nirvana.....Not affiliated, but Bruce designs "Winner" equipment.... Klipsch should listen for them selves.... http://www.transcendentsound.com/Masterpiece.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 (edited) The standard potentiometer included in the kit is actually quite good. It is the common carbon-composition type which, while being sonically very decent and satisfactory (at least to me), the problem one often encounters is comparatively poor channel-to-channel tracking between the two sections. What I have done in the past when building a preamp, integrated amplifier, passive inline attenuator, etc., is to buy several (since they are very inexpensive) and measure each in order find the one with the closest value tolerance (50k, 100k, and so on). The Alps VCs are overall much better controls in this respect, as of course are those consisting of fixed resistors in stepped controls (which Transcendent Sound) also used to offer as a kit. I use the blue Alps almost exclusively now, though a year or two ago completely rebuilt a LEAK ST20 stereo power amplifier with a stereo carbon strip pot that had essentially identical tracking between the two sections. it was used in place of the usual grid-leak resistor which sets the input impedance to the amplifier. I have also built the Grounded Grid for a friend in Europe, who asked for not only dual-mono pots (linear taper) for improved L/R balance, but also a master volume control (log taper) to be used for general, day-to-day listening once the the two input attenuators had been set at a desired level. It required modification of the faceplate, but worked quite well. So great! enjoy your equipment! If you like the GG, which I also do, at some point you may like to consider the much more recent TS Masterpiece. It's definitely a far more involved build, but is an extraordinary component. Edited May 14, 2016 by erik2A3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 No phono section? Send it back it's useless for stereo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjd Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 No phono section? Send it back it's useless for stereo. There actually is a phono preamplifier, but the phono section adds $699 [build yourself] or $999 [assembled] to the price. http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent_Sound_Phono_Preamp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 (edited) I built the TS phono stage I am using now for MM pickups. Very high gain, quiet backgrounds, and, to my ears, a sort of combined quality of tube air and finesse with very satisfactory (also subjective) low end response. I had heard prior to purchase that there was the possibility of certain circuit revisions, but to my knowledge there have been no changes made; which is definitely ok with me. It has been a great match with the Masterpiece 300B preamp/headphone amp, and really any other linestage with which I've used it. *As a footnote I would say that while the Grounded-Grid mentioned above would be a good first project for someone (after practicing a bit of both through-hole PCB and basic point-to-point wiring and soldering - none of which being a particulalrly big deal once one gets the hang of it - in some useful and great-sounding DIYing at a great price, the Masterpiece is not so well-suited, IMO, to the new builder. Edited May 14, 2016 by erik2A3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 (edited) With Lowther PM5A back-loaded horns, are TS SEOTL (left) and TS Phono stage and Masterpiece, top to bottom respectively in the center. And edit: For the sake clarification, the SEOTL mentioned here is Rozenblit's original version. Edited May 14, 2016 by erik2A3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 No phono section? Send it back it's useless for stereo. There actually is a phono preamplifier, but the phono section adds $699 [build yourself] or $999 [assembled] to the price. http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent_Sound_Phono_Preamp.html Let me get this straight. They send you the worst half of a pre-amp and then want to charge you more to actually finish it? Dang. I wish I had a racket like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 I bought his book Audio Reality when it was still being published. On delivery it got soaked by rain, even totally distorted by water as it is, it still is highly prised. In it he publishes the schematic, parts lists etc for several of his designs. I keep threatening myself to build some of them, ..... someday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyOwn Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Only 19.99 for pdf. and here is the list of projects you can build from this book http://www.transcendentsound.com/Audio_Reality.html 1. Grounded Grid Preamp2. Phono Preamp3. 150 Watt Compact Amp4. Single-Ended With Slam5. The Transcendent OTL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) I love mine. Best sub-$500 I ever spent on audio. Edited May 21, 2016 by eth2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Good! It would be a great preamp for three times the price. His first book is also excellent, though maybe a bit more technical than Audio Reality. The author shares some of his early designs, including the preamp I built in the early 90s - in my case, from the schematic that was published in Glass Audio magazine. The very negative commentary is just....unfortunate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eth2 Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 The very negative commentary is just....unfortunate That is just Thebes expressing his disdain for anything that does not support analog. As the reigning Forum intellectual, he gets a free pass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blvdre Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 The very negative commentary is just....unfortunate That is just Thebes expressing his disdain for anything that does not support analog. As the reigning Forum intellectual, he gets a free pass. An intellectual? I had no idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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