Thanks for the update , my Dac has an internal resistor based volume control that can be bypassed so i would like to see if i can improve the sound with a very good active or passive preamp.
Location: France
Posts: 6
I'm Rohan.
Thanks for the update , my Dac has an internal resistor based volume control that can be bypassed so i would like to see if i can improve the sound with a very good active or passive preamp.
Dac T+A DSD8. Roon/HQ player
Amplifier 2A3 set
Speaker full range Fertin lb12EX
Here's my experience using a number of valve amps including my superb Audio research 75 as well as most all types of passive.
You cannot beat an autoformer (AVC not TVC) for transparency and all that brings (timbre etc) but it's a gamble with valve amps. There's a reason I'm using a valve pre at the moment and won't go back to a simple passive, drive and frequency are much better, an oh my god moment, in fact. However I will be replacing the standard alps pot with a tribute autoformer in the near future so I have the absolute best of both worlds.
The Slagles equal the Townshend and in my opinion the Music First stuff. You can buy a ready built dual control for around 300 dollars direct, super simple to wire up (even I could do it!) and you can go as crazy as you like with an enclosure. It will at least tell you if your amp is okay with this type of passive for little cost.
A Luxman normally goes for around 2k so is a very expensive way to go, but is a statement, masterpiece in its truest sense and cannot lose value.
But here's a suggestion...
Get the Slagles or keep an eye out for a second hand tribute (they are AVC) and with the extra savings buy the best quality tube buffer you can get to put before the AVC using the shortest possible cabling. This will in effect give you the necessary gain, beauty of tube swapping and tuning your sound as well as transparency and nuance. I highly recommend the Eastern Electric Minimax BBA which has adjustable gain and responds very very well to tube rolling. But with this you will probably follow my path and then swap out the Alps for an autoformer for that final level of transparency.
Adey
Sent from my Aquaris X Pro using Tapatalk
Technics SP10 mk2
Jan Allaerts MC 1 Boron mk1 cart
Miyajima Shilabe cart
Hashimoto HM-X SUT
Siggwan (gimballed not unipivot) Cocobola 12"
Aurorasound Vida LCR Phonostage
The Truth linestage
Dave Slagle Autoformer Volume Controller
Cary 805c SET amps
Audio Note ANe-SPX speakers
Townshend Isolda speaker cables
Cardas Golden Presence interconnects
Location: France
Posts: 6
I'm Rohan.
Thanks for your point of view , i already had few passive preamp with TVC and AVC , ( bent audio noh with S&B tvc , promitheus Tvc, bent with slage Avc modules, and the tribute autoformer.
For my taste the Big S&B Tvc was the most musical that’s why i was interested by the luxman.
I have some 26 tube to spare to make a tube preamp perhaps with a autoformer but with the time î’m getting lazy
Dac T+A DSD8. Roon/HQ player
Amplifier 2A3 set
Speaker full range Fertin lb12EX
Location: belgrade serbia
Posts: 840
I'm gordan.
why not updating your signature?
Gordan.
Speakers: Oris Swing MkII
Amps: Thomas Mayer 300b/ Hiraga La Maison de L'Audiophile 20
Preamp: Silver AVC by eng. Ferenc Lazar
Phono Preamp: Shishido LCR by Solaja Audio
Decks: Garrard 301 Martin Bastin reworked/plinthed with Fidelity Research FR64fx
Garrard 401 in eng Ferenc Lazar solid wenge plinth with SME 3012/2
Cartridges: SPU Spirit/ Koetsu Black revisited by eng. Salai/ Miyajima Shilabe
Step Up Transformers: Tango MCT 999/ Ortofon T-5000/ Lumiere SUT
Digital: Shigaclone by eng. Ferenc Lazar with Lampizator Amber II
Wires: of sufficient length