Following the sale of my ARC Ref 3. Budget around £5k... what have you got?
Member
Location: Bedford
Posts: 61
I'm Tim.
High end preamp wanted...
Following the sale of my ARC Ref 3. Budget around £5k... what have you got?
Senior Member
Location: Chichester, West Sussex UK
Posts: 368
I'm John.
I would suggest contacting Jonathan Billington at MFA, and getting an audition of Baby Ref, they are stunning things.
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Money may not make me happy.
But it helps me afford the kind of misery I prefer.
SYSTEM 1:
Analogue.
Brinkmann Bardo / 12" OL Enterprise Mk4 / Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum /BigBottle mk3 /MFA Baby Reference Pre/Nord One UP SE NC500M/Martin Logan Summit
Digital.
Docet Lector CDP-7TL mkiii/Pimped Bluesound Node2 + BOTW SBooster Lps/ Pimped Mk1 Jolida Fx Glass DAC.
Wires etc.
Audioplan Musicable ICs & TQ Black ll SC, assorted branded kettle leads.
Target TT shelf & Alphason 5 shelf rack.
Power Inspired AG1500S mains regen.
SYSTEM 2: Back to the 80s.
Garrard 401, RB250, A&R P77Mg / Mk1 Marantz CD63 SE / Sony TC-FX150 / Sansui T500L / Cambridge Audio C50 + 2x A50 as bridged monos (mid 80s Stan Curtis's design) / or KEF 104ab/ Original 80s Monster Cable IC, DNM SC / Target 5 shelf rack.
SPARE KIT:
A&R E77Mg
Ortofon 2M Silver + Blue stylus
Philips CD600
Arcam Alpha 8P
Pro-Ject DacBox S FL
CCA
FiiO Taishan
Heybrook HB1 S2
Q Acoustics 3050
Senior Member
Location: west mids, UK
Posts: 3,274
I'm Phil.
agreed , i compared one to my arc ref 5 and it was extremely good . not too much in it .
ou might slip, you might slide, you might
Stumble and fall by the road side
But don't you ever let nobody drag your spirit down
Remember you're walking up to heaven
Don't let nobody turn you around
… Walk with the rich, walk with the poor
Learn from everyone, that's what life is for
And don't you let nobody drag your spirit down
Eric Bibb
Senior Member
Location: West Ealing, West London
Posts: 1,158
I'm Mauro.
Member
Location: Bedford
Posts: 61
I'm Tim.
Thanks all, I would prefer balanced and active, but appreciate the suggestions.
Senior Member
Location: Out on the wild and windy moors Lancs / Yorks Border
Posts: 593
I'm Andy.
Not sure I would look any further than Tron. Graham Trickers pre amps are quite special.
Analogue
401 / PU7 / AT33ev
Longdog Audio Quartz turntable PSU
Longdog Audio MCJ1 - Prototype Phonostage
Digital
Innuos Zen Mini Mk 3
Topping D50s
Caiman Seg & Dorado
Cambridge CXC
Amps
Tron Seven Linestage
Bel Canto Set 40 or Nick Gorham built 300B Set Monoblocks
Speakers
Tannoy GRF Memory.
Tannoy ST100.
Trade: LDR
Location: North Island New Zealand
Posts: 1,757
I'm Chris.
Hi TimOriginally Posted by Tim F
Why ? Balanced is sadly very precarious involving precise summing with ensuring hot and cold arrive intact at your power amp. if its not summed precisely or amplified precisely you end up with phase errors, as either cold or hot, lead or lag.
Active systems similarly contain many ( endless ) level amplifier/ speaker matching issues.
The advantages of balanced are touted as reducing unbalanced noise. using instead opto coupling in your passive attenuation exampled by the NSL32SR3 http://test.lunainc.com/wp-content/u.../NSL-32SR3.pdf
IMO has, when powered properly exemplary silencing of noise floor ie a black silent background, making balanced systems, left wanting what they can achieve.
Lots to think about, let me know if I can help further.
Member
Location: Bedford
Posts: 61
I'm Tim.
My V140 monoblocks are fully balanced and only have balanced inputs. Thanks for the advice. I'm not buying new so will see what is about rather than targeting a specific make.
Bump....
Last edited by Tim F; 07-11-2020 at 15:17.
Fount Master & Moderator
Location: Essex
Posts: 32,034
I'm openingabottleofwine.
You can use a preamp having unbalanced outputs with a power amp having balanced inputs. Just as you can feed a preamp having only balanced inputs from a source having unbalanced outputs. The reverse situation is more tricky.
Barry
Senior Member
Location: west mids, UK
Posts: 3,274
I'm Phil.
good choice
ou might slip, you might slide, you might
Stumble and fall by the road side
But don't you ever let nobody drag your spirit down
Remember you're walking up to heaven
Don't let nobody turn you around
… Walk with the rich, walk with the poor
Learn from everyone, that's what life is for
And don't you let nobody drag your spirit down
Eric Bibb
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