Pre Amp Blues...

[Haselsh1]

Look, I have no need whatsoever to do this but; for the sake of completion, I am looking at changing my preamp.

At the moment I am using a pair of Audiolab 8000M monoblocks with a Creek OBH-22 passive preamp. I am toying with the idea of replacing the Creek with an Audiolab 8000Q.

Any thoughts...???

[Themis]

I find it a good idea. A preamp is a great component.
As you already have the 8000M blocks, I'm sure that the 8000Q is a very good choice indeed.

If you need some alternative choice, I would advice to listen to the Northstar Line Preamplifier, it is a bit more expensive than the 8000Q (but has balanced ins/outs also).

Nevertheless, before you buy, I would advice you to give a listen to the preamp you choose.

[Mick Parry]

Haselsh1

Treat yourself to a Naim system and join the legions of thousands of satisfied customers. Naim is the UK's most sucessful company for one simple reason, it is the best.

Regards

Mick

[DSJR]

The ORIGINAL 8000Q was a good one IMO and well made with it. There was going to be an optional transformer coupled balanced output option as well, but I don't know if this ever came to fruition. I even thought to change my AVI for one at the time, but they sounded pretty similar and I used the AVI's phono option on mine, so it stayed.

One well made line-only alternative is the ATC CA 2, which seems to hold value well and sounds pretty transparent to the sources fed it.

One more time, I HAVE to urge you to try the baby Croft. For £350, you'll get a good line stage and a magical phono one as well in a cute little box you'll certainly grow to love and get "involved" with, if you see what I mean. The 8000Q is so effective, but it has the personality of a toaster by comparison (I'm not talking about sonic character here either)..

[DSJR]

Haselsh1

Treat yourself to a Naim system and join the legions of thousands of satisfied customers. Naim is the UK's most sucessful company for one simple reason, it is the best.

Regards

Mick

Not if you compare the output to the input it aint the best Mick and it's been catalogued how the lower preamp models are/were deliberately crippled to perform and sound less well than the much more expensive models in the range.

You could consider an old 32.5 or 72 with a suitable power supply, but neither of them are as truthful to the source sonics as the 8000Q and none of them have the charm and emotional communication of the Croft - IMO of course... They can be readily "improved" though with proper design input and modern third party power-supply thinking. So much has changed in electronics "SS" style since the 1960's.......

[Steve Toy]

I treat the need to have five preamps in a range with some considerable suspicion.

[DSJR]

I treat the need to have five preamps in a range with some considerable suspicion.

BUSINESS my dear chap. Buy cheap and sell as dear as the market will take

[Mick Parry]

Not if you compare the output to the input it aint the best Mick and it's been catalogued how the lower preamp models are/were deliberately crippled to perform and sound less well than the much more expensive models in the range.

You could consider an old 32.5 or 72 with a suitable power supply, but neither of them are as truthful to the source sonics as the 8000Q and none of them have the charm and emotional communication of the Croft - IMO of course... They can be readily "improved" though with proper design input and modern third party power-supply thinking. So much has changed in electronics "SS" style since the 1960's.......

DSJR

I only compare the sound, yes there are dozens of makes but in my opinion, Naim just effortlessly communicates the music and that does it for me.

Added to the fact, of course, that its build quality is good, brilliant after sales service and a committment to keeping old stuff going.

Regards

Mick

[DSJR]

I cannot argue with that

Julian told me once that they'd modelled themselves on Quad. I think they did a good job and even now, Quad will tackle anything they've ever made so long as spares are still available. Which leads me to the cheap yet capable 77 preamps that come up for not much more than the 44................................................ .............................

[Jonboy]

I have a pair of 8000m mono blocks complete with a 8000q pre amp sitting on my office floor, they are for sale at £500 the lot, no boxes and not mint but the owner (not me) needs the cash.