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Preamp recommendation? straight wire w/ gain, no frills, e..

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
top notch analog design & construction.
Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.

It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.

Thanks.

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Roscoe East" <roscoeeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newsb1kk6010np@news2.newsguy.com...
> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
> top notch analog design & construction.
> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>
> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>

Take a look at MacIntosh's lineup. Most of them feature balanced outs as
well as at least one balanced in. The one I am most familiar with is the
C45 which also features six-channel analog pass-through (unbalanced only,
though). Can't recall if they are true balanced throughout or not; I seem
to recall that at least one of the preamps is.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

On 12 Jul 2005 23:44:06 GMT, "Roscoe East" <roscoeeast@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
>built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
>balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
>one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
>control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
>wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
>top notch analog design & construction.
>Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>
>It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
>amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.

You should be able to pick up something like an old Krell PAM7 or
KSP-7B on ebay. Still pretty much state of that art, and they
certainly don't make 'em any better these days!
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Roscoe East wrote:
> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
> top notch analog design & construction.
> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>
> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>
> Thanks.

AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs
balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself.
It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots
and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX
testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, OPA2134 opamps and
DRV135 as line drivers. My front plate is only 4' by 1', so I use a cable
whip on a 25pole connector, There are also 4LEDs as volume indicators. I
have been testing it extensivly vs. a straight wire and can not detect any
difference in sound. It still has no front- and backplate, but that's what I
want to drill today. :-)
Finally I can just switch the sources and don't have to plug/unplug the XLR
connectors when I want to watch a video. I might put up a little pic
somewhere when it's finished.
--
ciao Ban
Bordighera, Italy

Reply to ban

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Harry Lavo" <hlavo@comcast.net> wrote in message
newsb47un01jam@news4.newsguy.com...
> "Roscoe East" <roscoeeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> newsb1kk6010np@news2.newsguy.com...
>> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
>> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
>> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
>> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
>> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
>> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
>> top notch analog design & construction.
>> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>>
>> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
>> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>>
>
It seems to me that you need not look any further than to the manufacturer
of one of the amps you intend using; the Brystons. They have any or all the
features you desire plus an assurance of complete compatibility with one of
your amps. What in heaven more could you possibly ask for?

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Audio Research makes this kind of stuff.

http://www.audioresearch.com/

http://www.audioresearch.com/products.html

Roscoe East wrote:
> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
> top notch analog design & construction.
> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>
> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>
> Thanks.

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Roscoe East" <roscoeeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newsb1kk6010np@news2.newsguy.com...
> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
> top notch analog design & construction.
> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>
> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>
> Thanks.

Try www.accuphon.co.uk for their Model 88 pre-amp. It'll need a 24V wall
wart though.

Graham Holloway

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Ban" <bansuri@web.de> wrote in message newsb6r910nbp@news1.newsguy.com...

>
> AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs
> balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself.
> It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots
> and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX
> testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers, OPA2134 opamps and
> DRV135 as line drivers. My front plate is only 4' by 1', so I use a cable
> whip on a 25pole connector, There are also 4LEDs as volume indicators. I
> have been testing it extensivly vs. a straight wire and can not detect any
> difference in sound. It still has no front- and backplate, but that's what
> I
> want to drill today. :-)

I mentioned McIntosh. Also many of the ARC preamps have balanced ins and
outs. Also, Levinson and Bel Canto?

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

On 14 Jul 2005 23:08:17 GMT, "Ban" <bansuri@web.de> wrote:

>Roscoe East wrote:
>> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
>> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
>> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
>> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
>> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
>> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
>> top notch analog design & construction.
>> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>>
>> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
>> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs
>balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself.

Whaaaat? Sure there is. Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why
the OP doesn't use one, and of course there's a whole range from BAT.
Bit of a clue in the name, really - *Balanced* Audio Technology.

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:
>
> Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why
> the OP doesn't use one

Because the original poster (me) is asking for recommendations, after
which I will investigate the most appealing recommendations, then
hopefully arrive at a decision & make a purchase. It may indeed wind up
being a Bryston BP26. But it may not; there've been some intruiging
alternatives suggested (via private email, a practice which baffles me,
but that's a topic for another thread) including the Sonic Euphoria PLC
& the Adcom GFP-750, both of which cost far less than the Bryston. But
far be it for me to chose the Bryston just because I already own one of
their amps, without investigating what else is out there.

And in case you're wondering why I don't use an FM Acoustics preamp:
because my wife won't let me sell our house to get one. (I lucked into
that power amp when a broadcast equipment manufacturer who had the
FM800A in their listening lab won a huge settlement from the city that
was evicting them & was able to leave all their equipment behind!)

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Ban wrote:
> Roscoe East wrote:
>> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
>> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have true
>> balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at least
>> one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need volume
>> control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp (though I
>> wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly looking for
>> top notch analog design & construction.
>> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>>
>> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state power
>> amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and outputs
> balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself.
> It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume pots
> and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to faciliate ABX
> testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers,

I would be concerned about using this part, since it's an
instrumentation amp with a very low slew rate. You may want to do a 20
KHz full power distortion measurement on this.

Reply to chung

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Chung wrote:
> Ban wrote:
>> Roscoe East wrote:
>>> Any recomendations for an excellent sounding,
>>> built-like-a-brick-shithouse, no-frills stereo preamp? Must have
>>> true balanced outputs on XLR connectors, and it would be nice if at
>>> least one set of inputs were also on balanced XLRs. I just need
>>> volume control & source selection, 3 or 4 inputs, no phono preamp
>>> (though I wouldn't kick it out of bed if it came with one), mostly
>>> looking for top notch analog design & construction.
>>> Though I suppose a wireless remote control would be nice.
>>>
>>> It will be used with either Bryston or FM Acoustics solid-state
>>> power amps, and an everchanging assortment of dynamic loudspeakers.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>
>> AFAIK there is nothing on the market currently, that accept and
>> outputs balanced XLR. That's why I made one myself.
>> It came out with 4 inputs, 2of which are balanced. I have two volume
>> pots and 2 input selectors, so I can mix two sources, this is to
>> faciliate ABX testing. It has INA2132 as balanced input receivers,
>
> I would be concerned about using this part, since it's an
> instrumentation amp with a very low slew rate. You may want to do a 20
> KHz full power distortion measurement on this.

Hey Chung, you are really attentive. I wrote a typo, these line receivers
are labeled INA2137, I got already the panic and looked with the microscope
on the PCB. These ones have 14V/us slewrate and 4MHz BW.
--
ciao Ban
Bordighera, Italy

Reply to ban

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

On 16 Jul 2005 14:57:45 GMT, "Roscoe East" <roscoeeast@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Stewart Pinkerton wrote:
>>
>> Bryston makes them, which makes me wonder why
>> the OP doesn't use one
>
>
>Because the original poster (me) is asking for recommendations, after
>which I will investigate the most appealing recommendations, then
>hopefully arrive at a decision & make a purchase. It may indeed wind up
>being a Bryston BP26. But it may not; there've been some intruiging
>alternatives suggested (via private email, a practice which baffles me,
>but that's a topic for another thread) including the Sonic Euphoria PLC
>& the Adcom GFP-750, both of which cost far less than the Bryston. But
>far be it for me to chose the Bryston just because I already own one of
>their amps, without investigating what else is out there.

I would heartily recommend the Adcom GFP-750, an excellent unit by any
standard.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

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