For sale: Puresound L10 Line Preamp
Never thought I'd do this but we are buying a house shortly, after 5 years of renting since moving through from Somerset, and I'm under the cosh to raise additional funds (which are currently not quite enough to do what's necessary).
It's likely a few more things will be in the frame, eg the FR64S from the TD124 - I'm experimenting with a Jelco 750D to see if it will handle the Io; also a pair of 15in HPD drivers + crossovers I had plans for will likely have to be sold; and maybe another two or three bits from the cartridge collection.
But the power amp I'm running at the moment is actually an integrated, works well on its own and although the sound is improved by the L10, it's (just) possible to live without. So it's with a heavy heart I'm putting out an interest check on my very much loved, and highly rated, Puresound L10.
This particular one has had some interesting modifications, mostly to the PSU. These were intended to give 'more of the same' rather than to change the preamp's character, in particular slightly tighten the bass response. The output section is largely untouched, bar replacing all caps with Black Gates, and installing silver wiring including some lengths of shielded AN-V in the output section, which result in a staggeringly good measured noise level of -86db. For a valve preamp, this is quiet as it gets (I was very impressed when I watched this being measured). NOS valves all round including a rare Amperex Bugle Boy in the rectifier section.
PM for pics of the mods (before and after) and for full details of the PSU mods. I should add that even stock, it smoked the Audio Note M3 Phono Signature I ran back to back with it. But with the mods it's up there in M5 / M8 territory. I should add that it's only 5db gain, which is healthy but not over the top in the way of quite a few preamps that give zero control on the volume knob. Whatever kit I've run this with (including some high-sensitivity vintage power amps that generally work better with a passive) it's always been a lovely match - powerful when it needs to be, delicate and sensitive too, a lovely way with detail, and a fabulous way with unknotting the strands of the music, as a good preamp should.
Can be heard with my Tannoys in the Reading area.
I have the original box but would really rather meet up for collection. I spent a fair bit on the mods (which include some serious iron upgrades) so if I go ahead with the sale I'd be looking for £1650, which goes nowhere near recoving my cost but would be a fair price I think, a modest premium over an unmodded second hand one (rarely available anyway). Retail on an un-modded original is currently £2600.
Attitional info: it's transformer output so capable of driving very long cables, and also low enough output impedance to drive even the most difficult solid state power amp (designed that way). With the PSU mods the already very capable L10 is taken to another level in terms of grip, soundstage and detail, but the character remains unchanged - that signature clarity and neutrality with just a tiny hint of fairy dust. This is a really stunning preamp. Five inputs, two outputs, tape output.
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