Bottlehead Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: rockpassion on August 17, 2017, 05:35:28 PM

Title: Active step up preamp
Post by: rockpassion on August 17, 2017, 05:35:28 PM

Doc,

You mentioned in your post in this topic about a Tube Moving Coil Stepup Preamp.  I have a Cinemag 3440A and am always looking at an affordable price a product that might improve my sound quality.  I have the BeePre and Eros preamps so I can attest to the sound quality your products provide.  So, what would this Preamp accomplish that the Cinemag does not. 

I am using a Shelter 501 MKII cartridge with a SoundSmith Stylus/Cantilever upgrade.  Even though I really like the sound I am always interested in something new. 

Thanks

Richard Vince

Title: Re: Active step up preamp
Post by: Doc B. on August 17, 2017, 06:11:03 PM

The experimental active moving step up preamp is much more dynamic, with better imaging, better resolution. It's also huge, would be very expensive and most important of all it is too noisy to become a commercial product. Everyone would complain. I can listen to it and enjoy it, but I very clearly understand its limitations.

Aaron brought a very interesting solid state step up preamp made by Pioneer in the late 70's as a statement piece. I guess it was something for the home market. It was very impressive, dead quiet and pretty close to the tube one sonically. It had a bit better bass and I felt the tube step up had a bit more musicality in the midrange, possibly due to having less feedback. They each had their advantage over the other. Neither one is actually in production these days, so the session was more of a DIY experimenter playtime than a new product demo.

If you want something to play with, you might look for a Levinson JC-1 (battery version). I had one many years ago that was quite nice. I think they go for around $300-400 used these days. I'm sure I paid less than that, probably swapped something for it. There was also an AC powered one made in the late 80s by Klyne Audio. I think it was called the SK-2. I had one on loan for a while and it was nice too. I imagine they go for a little more than a JC-1. I would guess that both of those are 2SK120 fet based preamps.

Title: Re: Active step up preamp
Post by: xcortes on August 18, 2017, 01:55:32 AM

Richard,

Maybe experimenting with different SUTs?

I swear by my Peerless (mine are a rare bird but maybe the 4722?).