Preamplifier

[davids]

I need a new pre-amp. The Audible Illusions Modulus won't stay fixed. Noisy volume pots, noisy tubes after a year. I've had it since '87 so I am ready to send it out to pasture with honor.

I want something with a phono stage and with inputs for at least four line inputs. It should sound at least as good as a 30 year old tube design. I don’t want to spend more than around $1k.

The most attractive candidate I found is the Emotiva Audio XSP-1.

Any feedback on this thing? What else should I be looking at?

Many thanks!

[Wisco]

Given your familiarity with old school, why not a used something such as Audio Research SP-6, Conrad Johnson or even this one from a reputable used on-line shop?:

Croft Micro 25 Tube Preamplifier | The Music Room

[MarkC]

Parasound Halo P5 may be worth a listen if you aren't fixed on tubes.

[spopepro]

In your price range, the emotiva is likely going to be hard to beat. My first thought was a Rogue Audio RP-1, but it turns out to be over budget. Maybe a non-magnum Perseus from Rouge, but that's likely over budget also. 1k is not a price point where a lot of preamps are made. It's kind of "home theatre" land, and for the most part well appointed, audio dedicated preamps seem to start appearing around 1.5-2k.

I haven't heard the emotiva xsp-1. Other emotiva products I have handled have been really, really well built from a construction standpoint. I'm not a fan of how they let the marketing team write the spec sheet, but pulling apart the jargon, I think there's some really good design in there. Probably the best is that it *sounds* like it uses an optoelectrontically switched stepped attenuator for volume control. It uses a giant toroidal transformer in the power supply which is always a good sign. The flexibility they give you to turn on or off all of their gimmicks is nice. I'd really like to know more about what they are doing in the phono stage-it sounds like that might be the weak spot. Oh and blue electronic displays would drive me insane.

[Badonkadonk]

this is two-channel?

if it's just 2 channel stereo the best sounding stuff i've heard hasn't been tube - it's been solid state stuff from Ayre, Audio Research, Jeff Rowland, etc. I'd look used on Audiogon and steal something that's 10 years old and still wildly overbuilt.

[davids]

this is two-channel?

if it's just 2 channel stereo the best sounding stuff i've heard hasn't been tube - it's been solid state stuff from Ayre, Audio Research, Jeff Rowland, etc. I'd look used on Audiogon and steal something that's 10 years old and still wildly overbuilt.

Two channel, yep.

I think I overestimated my free cash for now. But thanks for pointing me at Audiogon - so much for my free time!

[Wisco]

this is two-channel?

if it's just 2 channel stereo the best sounding stuff i've heard hasn't been tube - it's been solid state stuff from Ayre, Audio Research, Jeff Rowland, etc. I'd look used on Audiogon and steal something that's 10 years old and still wildly overbuilt.

I'd echo this by saying that 10 year old Audio Research gear is going to be a steal by now and is as musical as god intended tubes to be. My 10+ year old SP-16 and VS55 continue to deliver miles of smiles even while driving some finicky Magnepan planars.

Plus the Audio Research build quality is excellent and you can get support/service on anything Audio Research from any era. High end audio is an iterative sport and Audio Research got tubes right a long time ago, so the marginal gains are minor these days until you've got the scratch to buy REF Audio Research equipment.

[davids]

In your price range, the emotiva is likely going to be hard to beat. My first thought was a Rogue Audio RP-1, but it turns out to be over budget. Maybe a non-magnum Perseus from Rouge, but that's likely over budget also. 1k is not a price point where a lot of preamps are made. It's kind of "home theatre" land, and for the most part well appointed, audio dedicated preamps seem to start appearing around 1.5-2k.

I haven't heard the emotiva xsp-1. Other emotiva products I have handled have been really, really well built from a construction standpoint. I'm not a fan of how they let the marketing team write the spec sheet, but pulling apart the jargon, I think there's some really good design in there. Probably the best is that it *sounds* like it uses an optoelectrontically switched stepped attenuator for volume control. It uses a giant toroidal transformer in the power supply which is always a good sign. The flexibility they give you to turn on or off all of their gimmicks is nice. I'd really like to know more about what they are doing in the phono stage-it sounds like that might be the weak spot. Oh and blue electronic displays would drive me insane.

Browsing the forum for another reason I came upon this ancient thread.

I bought a slightly used RP-1 off Audiogon about a year ago, and followed up with the ridiculously underpriced ($500 from Audio Advisor) Nuforce STA200 amp. I am very, very happy with that combo and listening to so much more music than before.

So thanks!