Albarry's

[Clive]

So can you give me some guidance on what pre-amps are likely to work with the Albarry monos? As I've reported on pfm a few days ago, I have a pair of the M608's but sadly don't have the pre. I'd hate to have to sell the 608's because I can't afford the Albarry pre, so I'm interested in other preamps that might work well with it.

Generic advice suggests you need a preamp of 500 ohms output impedance or less. That covers most solidstate and some valve preamps.

[Yomanze]

Quintessential British lack of business nowse. Who else would try and sell a luxury product and support it via an ill considered online shop front?

An engineer would, which is precisely why Albarry and LFD appeal to me (it was a choice between the M608 and PA2M SE for me, I went for the LFD)... these guys are not marketers & although the products are quite expensive and the websites a bit idiosyncratic you get the reassurance that they are hand built by the actual designers in the UK... have you seen the Helius website?! Stunning tonearms though...

It's the same reason I had some much confidence in buying my Audial Model S DAC... had I believed the marketing comparable products come from the likes of Audio Note and Zanden's top-end DACs, which are horrifically overpriced...

[Clive]

If a company is trying to appeal to to a mass market then it needs slick marketing.

Selling to specialist hobbyists in a small market is another story. Indeed being too slick could be a turn-off for some.

[Elephantears]

Generic advice suggests you need a preamp of 500 ohms output impedance or less. That covers most solidstate and some valve preamps.

The preamps that I've tried all obeys that demand, but apart from the very different personalities of the preamps, the differences in gain are very significant and seem to contribute inordinately to the sonic personality. The difficulty I'm having is working out a well matched gain structure for the system as a whole.

[SCIDB]

Err ... I do believe you can, actually! OK, you have to pay the return postage or take it back yourself.

Buy online -- you know it makes sense! (It really does!)

Even buying from a bricks & mortar dealer online gives you these legal return rights!
Demonstration room dems are often pretty useless - try it at home in your own system and room for a week! Yaay - way to go!

Hi,

That is true. The distance selling regs of 2000 allow at least 7 days cool off period. It can be even up to 30 days.

http://www.onlineshoppingrights.co.u...gulations.html

[Elephantears]

It's a shame that there aren't more people with experience of Albarry to share. I hope that will change over the next year or so. But there must be more old M408 users out there with things to say, surely?

[Marco]

Off-topic posts have now been moved to here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19554

This thread is now strictly about Albarry amps and their functionality/sonic prowess thereof.



Marco.

[trio leo]

I agree with you Simon, I went to Whittlebury and heard the Albarry dem, it was OK with some kinds of music but not so with others, the room wasn't good and I thought maybe the speakers were a bit too big for that room.

I hope you get the chance to hear them in a better environment, or maybe hear them at home.
The trick with Albarry's is to leave them switched ON, permanently, my M408's have been on for 25 years and they are still exciting.

Enjoy your music

regards Al

[DSJR]

The 608's sound fine from switch-on and don't need warming up to any great degree. can't speak for the preamp though and I need more exposure to it to form a positive opinion. With the much cheaper Croft 25 or 25R, the 608's sing straight away to my ears...

[YNWaN]

I went to Whittlebury and heard the Albarry dem, it was OK with some kinds of music but not so with others,...

I also attended Whittlebury and heard the Albarry demo; I'm afraid I wasn't convinced. Perhaps it was the Tannoy speakers (which I hadn't heard before), or the CD source. Whatever the reason, I look forward to a better dem and the opportunity to hear them performing as others have described.