mobile homeless Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 This has long been an underground hit and much like the SLP-98 at a fraction of the price (Dean might have posted a link as well). A few tweaks here and there and it can even be better with some Jensen Copper Foil Oil coupling caps doing very nicely. Still, as stock, it's a great piece. It takes one of my favorite preamp tubes, the 6SN7/5692 and will sound VERY open, musical, and above all, NATURAL. NOS tubes will make this beast sing. I have always found that the 6SN7/5692 preamps do well going into solid state amps, too (even better into good tube gear, however). You dont see too many factory units coming up for sale either. I think this one is really worth a look and some email exchanges with the seller. I dont know him nor have I talked to him so it's up to you to find the details.... AE-1 Ad via AudiogoN kh ps- The unit above in picture is actually not the unit for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I should look into this. now that I won't be getting the quicksilver amps, and people suggest getting a tube preamp before a tube amp, this is deffinatly an option. I'd like to see some pics, maybe I'll send him an email. though I would really like a remote control.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 19, 2003 Author Share Posted August 19, 2003 Well, this is a great pre to go into a SS amp depending on the input sensitivity and a few other things. I have had my Cary pre into quite a few solid state amps and to my ears, it has bettered every one over the solid state alternative. I am listening to Leok's 6w digital at this very moment powered by my Cary and I think it's an excellent combo for what it's worth. If you are into remote control, there is a Cary SLP-50B with remote on audiogon as well. See the tube pre section. This preamp is not as liquid or harmonically rich, but would probably float your boat as well. The remote control is something you dont see often as well. While not my first choice, it will surely outdo just about any solid state preamp. Actually, to be honest, I havent heard a solid state preamp I have liked in 20 years...and that was when I didnt mind solid state preamps! kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I did post a link on that AE-1, and frankly, I'm astonished that it's still out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 hmmmm, I'll have to think about it. unfortunaly it's impossible to try before you buy from ebay or audiogon (unless otherwise noted), and a remote is required. I hate having to get up during the middle of a song to adjust the volume, ruins it, but Ideffinatly don't want to spend anymore money on a solid state preamp at the moment. The B&K is performing fine for the moment, though I think it is the weakest link in my system. it has a harder sound (compared to my numark mixer which isn't saying much) which seems to not go as well with the klipsch, though is still very clear, dynamic, and accurate. I suppose I could always save up and buy something new as well, though from a performance/value stand point that is not the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Wow! This would be the perfect companion piece to my Audio Electronic Supply SE-1 SET amplifier. I like having a remote too. I also like to have a little control over the bass frequencies. I like to make adjustments with certain cd's. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I recently invited Dr. Lloyd to visit our site and there seemed to be interest in his MapleTree Audio Design Octal6 pre-amp fully assembled under $500. http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/madoctal6_e.html http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/ Any thoughts on how this might compare to the Cary above? There also seems to be a school that says passive pres offer a great value--Dean posted one recently. Would this be another option to explore? Channel Islands Audio VPC-1 http://www.ciaudio.com/ I also wonder why we never read about the new Audio Research SP16 and matching tube amp here. It seems to be getting a lot of magazine press. I guess this would be the expensive modern tube gear than our vintage is compared to for a value comparison. The AR SP3 has been mentioned here and with it's factory upgrade it seems like a nice option. On the solid state front the Odyessy Stratos and Tempest pre seem to be popular but I don't see thim in Klipsch land...maybe not as good of synergy? Low power tube amplification a better fit I assume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I have been dealing with Lloyd the last few weeks (Great guy) with his Ultra 4A with doing a SE version. I have this preamp here now and my impressions are very positive ! The one I have here is Black and looks very handsome. Upon my request he is sending me the first Tube rectified power supply unit for this preamp. The Ultra 4A is full featured with phono section with a seperate power supply the price is under $500 and will be slightly higher for the SE version and tube rectified power supply. Although with the current tweaks I did to the SS power supply and preamp it sounds really nice. It uses the 12SN7GT which is a 12 volt version of the 6SN7 much more affordable tube rolling can be had. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Interesting kit for $400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 19, 2003 Author Share Posted August 19, 2003 Well, I think that AE-1 would be a great preamp for around $500. I have really heard nothing but good things about it, especially for the price. It is the preamp that Cary actually used to base the SLP-98 on, then taking it out of production, or so the rumor goes. The SLP-98 is six times that price. Another option is the pre that pops up on ebay that Dean is getting but it's an unknown quantity, by and large. It looks very interesting as it's based on the 6SN7 and also has tube regulation. The $250 price is not too bad either, especially considering the parts and build of the little beast. Erik M. ended up with the AE-1 and loved it as well. In fact, that is his pictured, this from a shot far before he got the unit from Ed (Ed finally purchased his Supratek pre and Erik did work on the AE-1 and ended up liking and keeping it). As for the Audio Research gear, having been a long time Stereophile subscriber since the late 70s (that poor magazine has never been the same), I will say that just about ALL the Audio Research introductions get press of some sort. I just have not been a fan of their gear for a long time. Some of the early preamps were more musical but with models like the original SP-9 and things like the LS-7, there were more STERILE sounding than musical. The SP-8 and later SP-6 models were good units. But much of their stuff did not impress me. I felt the same way about many of their amps. It's just never been a company that moved me. Personally, I would put my money elsewhere although many love Audio Research. I think the preamp is perhaps the most important link in the chain where it's hard to recover from mediocrity as it spoils everything downstream. It's dealing with such small signals as well - most line stages really end up corrupting the signal more than helping it. YEs, a passive preamp is an option with a sensitive enough amp and a source with enough output. I have owned a passive preamp of one kind or another since the 80s. I own one today. There is transparency there and it one of the cheapest way to get to quality sound in the preamp bracket. On the other hand, I feel that a good tube preamp really fleshes out the presentation, especially with SET amplification. I prefer a quality active stage to a passive most of the time these days. But it's nice to have a passive unit. Actually, one of the latest things is to have a transformer volume control that restores some of the lost dynamics sometimes evident in a simple passive unit. Still, a great active tube preamp is the ticket in my view. And I just tend to prefer the sonics of preamps based around the linear 6SN7 family tube (or 6SL7). Tube rectification seem to offer a more natural presentation as well but you will get arguments and preferences with differing opinions. All that being said, the little AE-1 is a cool deal that wont disappoint, especially in that price range. I will be interested to hear Dean's impressions of his Mystery Ebay preamp when it finally get here from FAR FAR overseas. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Feed the big Triodes with little Triodes. Octals don't count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnsonhp Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 "FAR FAR overseas" Yes, the mystery will be interesting. Most of this tubes/horn venture has been a blind adventure for me. I emailed with YS-Audio of Hong Kong ( http://www.ys-audio.com/ys-audio_eng.htm ) about their pre-amp which is being pushed on Audiogon which they tout as a $2000 pre-amp for $680 but after speaking with one of their resellers who did a mod to it I found their opinion of the product was pretty poor. I also invited Kosta of Korato Audio in Yugoslovia to join us. Their pre-amp got a great review from TNT-Audio and when I called one of their US reviewers he also had great things to say about it. In talking to Kosta it would be around $1k w/phono shipped to the US--and as the designer he obviously felt pretty proud of it. The amp didn't make a good first impression on this board but I think many reserved judgement on the pre-amp as it had promise. I almost bought a pair of Wright Sound Mono8 amps for $1k but it seems folks like their 2A3's better which can also be found for around the same price. Adding the WPL20a pre & phono combo would be interesting. The Rogue Audio Magnum 66 and 99 are pretty plentiful...I've heard mixed reviews on the 66 but the 99 seems pretty popular but expensive...They are 6sn7 I believe. Others have recommend Audible Illusions 3a http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?preatube&1065664354 For phono pres Hagtech.com has a line that many like but who knows how it would compare to others like the Wright. He certainly felt comfortable in that comparison but .... I find the Norah Jones SACD first track to be an interesting test for digital on my system. Her voice over 80db can be piercing and even my 11-year old found it painful at 80db with my SS/Cornwall setup. Using my B&W cone speakers it was a little better. I'm doing the all tube/Cornwall chain test next/Wednesday. My perception is that vintage tube gear will help...but then maybe I need a $2k CD/SACD player or just stick with vinyl Or maybe this song and digital is just harsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Well, there are certainly a lot of interesting options out there. The matching possibilities are endless. Let's hope Dean's Hope Pre will be worth the ducats and wait. At $250, one cant expect much. But is has some neat aspects. We'll see... kh ps- Speaking of ole Dean, remember this???? Ye ole DEANG System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Heck even if Deans preamp is a flop its a great starting point ! You just warm up the Iron and start fiddleling. For the money how can you go wrong ? Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Yep, they have actually gone for as low as $200. There really isnt anything premade that is comparable at $200 new. That is, unless he's using USED parts! heh... Lordy, long live Hong Kong! kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnalOg Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ---------------- On 8/20/2003 6:38:26 AM NOSValves wrote: Heck even if Deans preamp is a flop its a great starting point ! You just warn up the Iron and start fiddleling. For the money how can you go wrong ? Craig ---------------- Craig, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the underside of one of these a few months back. Plenty of room, the first thing to go would be the coupling caps, I've had great results with Hovlands. I can't speak for the other offerings out there at this point but the Hovlands are fast & transparent to my ears. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 The only problem I see with this ultra cheap preamp is NOISE. I was thinking this in the back of my mind after listening to various preamps over the last two years, including Chris' 6SN7 SRPP. In talking to Jeff, he seemed to wonder the same thing. It's hard to make a good preamp without running into some noise problems which are brought more into focus, especially when running with very sensitive amps and speakers (and you cant get too much more sensitive than the big Heritage Klipsch). System interaction is really important here as is grounding, both within the pre and throughout the system. One pre might sound quiet and then move to another RFI loaded hell-hole, and be making more noise than a 2yr old with a choke collar. IF you check out the Mapletree Octal 6 review, TNT ran into some noise problems with the SRPP mode into HE speakers. It's just something you need to be aware of depending on system and room etc. This little pre is intriguing to say the least. I remember sharing some email with a past buyer who changed the stock caps to Jensen Copper Foil oils along with some other wiring mods. He ended up selling it on Audiogon...for about $250 as I remember. Still, it would be a fun little experiment. The shipping delay is a bit troubling, however. I know that Brian via DIY HIFI Supply gets stuff over VERY quickly from Hong Kong. So this needs to be addressed. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 ---------------- This little pre is intriguing to say the least. I remember sharing some email with a past buyer who changed the stock caps to Jensen Copper Foil oils along with some other wiring mods. He ended up selling it on Audiogon...for about $250 as I remember. Still, it would be a fun little experiment. The shipping delay is a bit troubling, however. I know that Brian via DIY HIFI Supply gets stuff over VERY quickly from Hong Kong. So this needs to be addressed. kh ---------------- Yep, intriguing indeed. For sure you can't go wrong at the price. It may require some tweaking but in the end, a 6SN7 in SRPP is a 6SN7 in SRPP... So I'm pretty sure it's at the very least a decent buy. It's even have a choke loaded PSU at this price. Put tantalum resistor and Jensen Copper in foil cap and you should have a really nice unit here. As for the shipping delay, my guess is that he builds the unit after he sell it on eBay (or have them built by a 10 year boy chained on the working bench in his basement...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 What about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3041152741&category=14974 Sure looks nice! Tube rectified too... The build quality is plainly amazing. Lots of tweak potential... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Indeed. A 6SN7 SRPP is a 6SN7 SRPP. You cant argue with that logic. Unfortunately, you can argue with the fact that with a different layout, parts selections, grounding decisions, and setup, you can run into TWO 6SN7 SRPP that sound ungodly different, one emitting hum like a monkey on Ibogaine and the other doing lord knows what! As you know, the implementation, parts matching, and layout choices can bring different results, bringing frustration and joy in a 24 hour period. Dont ask how I know this as working with your moody French Quebec silly putty mind would bring ultimate elation and near bombastic DEFEAT, all within the time it takes to read the NY Times end to end! Lordy. I still have nightmares and cold sweats! Your observation concerning the contruction after the purchase makes serious sense, however. It's probably a given, even including the chained 10 yr old tike with solder burns... kh ps- I have heard both good and bad about the YS-Audio stuff you referenced. They also have an exposed pre that looks really nifty but has never really caught fire. Audiogon has a monster helping of YS-Audio stuff always in play from the company. Still,..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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