Once in a while we come across a component that aspires us to bigger, better things, makes us want to hear every single song again and makes us more critical of our other components. It makes us listen to the music and hear things that you didn't hear before. The Bryston Model 11B preamp is one of those components. Hearing what it does to my system, and truthfully I was a little skeptical it would make such a difference, I was aware of subtle things I didn't hear before. Like in Fleetwood Mac's Rhianon, hearing Mick Fleetwood's cresendo of cymbols was unheard of to me before. Like a fluttering bird, softly and slowly waning, but fast like a hummingbird flying off. These are the kind of things that make music special, hearing those very subtle and sometimes unknown sounds you never heard before. The downside to this, is suddenly you begin to wonder how this would work with different components, amps, source devices, etc, devices that would require another mortgage to afford. I began trying all available amps and devices I could with this, each time I was made aware of their strengths and shortcomings. Some devices I was delighted, others I was disspointed, but felt in no way was the Bryston responsible for the plus or minuses, only revealing the truth. The Bryston provides a solid foundation to a system for an audiophile to build around.