What's A Good Preamp to Match A Sherwood AM7040

dc270

Now Off the Reservation
Just acquired a Sherwood AM7040 power amp. Very clean. Can someone here reccomend a good matching preamp? The matching Sherwood preamp to this is very hard to find so I am looking for reasonanler alternatives. Would prefere a stereo type.

FWIW this unit has fixed and variable inputs.

Thanks for you input here.

DC
 

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You're welcome DC!

Those 'tachi's still slide under the radar now and then.

Yes, prefer the MK II's, but that can lead to a color mismatch depending on which model. My 7500 mkII is a kind of reddish brown, my 8500 mkII is pretty close to the color of your Sherwood, my 6500 is a first generation in silver making it kinda moot. I don't know if colors were optional or specific to models for sure.
 
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Hi Doug!

Hope all is well with you. That is a very nice Sherwood indeed!

I don't know that much about it, but I have always been a fan of SAE equipment. If the Hitachi's do not work out for you, you may take a look at the SAE Mark line or others.

I really would love to have the SAE Mark Nine preamp/eq someday.

Rome
 
Hi Doug!

Hope all is well with you. That is a very nice Sherwood indeed!

I don't know that much about it, but I have always been a fan of SAE equipment. If the Hitachi's do not work out for you, you may take a look at the SAE Mark line or others.

I really would love to have the SAE Mark Nine preamp/eq someday.

Rome

I too like the SAE eqipment- VERY fond of the 3 band parametric!! Thanks for the suggestion.
DC
 
Nice amp indeed! I have the 6040 with the matching 6020 preamp and 6010 tuner. Really like vintage Sherwood gear! :music:
 
I sold a 6040 to a fellow AKer a few years back- I used it with a (black) NAD 1130 pre & it sounded pretty good.
 
Sherwood preamp to this is very hard to find so I am looking for reasonanler alternatives. Would prefere a stereo type.



DC

Keeping searching for the Sherwood.

I sold my 6040 amplifier 10 years ago however, kept the 6020. It is well worth the search based on the inputs and the sound quality it offers.

Best Regards,
 
Keeping searching for the Sherwood.

I sold my 6040 amplifier 10 years ago however, kept the 6020. It is well worth the search based on the inputs and the sound quality it offers.

Best Regards,

I think ultimately I will end up with a matching preamp- if ever possible! For now I will look into the other options, I can use as is on the "variable" in puts and adjust the gains on the front pannel. I typically dislike those pre boards on power amps- all though my Yammie B2 of last was impressive! I will listen to the pre side of this amp and see what I thinl......
Thanks DC
 
Nikko Beta 2 could be a good match for it.

Though I've not laid hands on any of these pieces, the Beta III was designed to match the Alpha III, which was another Hitachi-MOSFET power amp, like your Sherwood. :scratch2:
 
Though I've not laid hands on any of these pieces, the Beta III was designed to match the Alpha III, which was another Hitachi-MOSFET power amp, like your Sherwood. :scratch2:

I do have a Nikko Alpha/Beta III staxk that I completely enjoy. Guess I could break out the preamp and try it and see how it sounds with the Sherwood here. If it sounds half as good as it does with the Nikko power amp then ot would be a good for me as well. I see them on Ebay fairly often.

I am curious if the Mosfet amp makers, Hitachi, Hafler, etc, designed their preamps to "match" their Mosfet amp units?

Thanks again
DC
 
That is nice! I found a 7650 CP on ebay for 25 bucks and I like it much better than my Marantz 2226B! I hope you find the matching pre.
 
Another vote for the matching Sherwood preamp. While I have the mk 2 Hitachi preamps, the Sherwood has a unique, not to say odd, feature set and it's a few years newer. It's a heckuva preamp, no matter which power amp you have-- no guarantee that you'll like it for all that, though. Get a Hitachi 8500 mk2 (it's black) while you're waiting. FET phono stage!

While I don't think the designers tried to make their preamp "match" the sound of their MOSFET power amps, I do think there was a certain pride in pioneering MOSFET outputs that suggested to designers that their preamps should at least live up to their shiny new power-amps-of-the-future. Maybe that's what you meant, dc270.
.
 
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Remarkable thread, at least as far as I am concerned . . .

I happened upon the AM-7040 amplifier and matching AP-7020 preamp, both boxed with papers in NOS condition.

Have had them for a few years, and they are a remarkable addition to my listening systems.

Since I have about 7 or 8 systems at my home in Florida, the Sherwoods get time only now and then.

Recently, I located a Sony C339ES cd player, which I now use with the Sherwood system, and a Sanyo Plus Series, T55 tuner as well. Not a perfect match color wise, even though all pieces are black(ish).

Sonically, however, the Sherwood amp and preamp are extremely high end. It's not just the 200 wpc output, it's how well that power is sent to the speakers.

I was toying with the idea of a tube preamp to use with the amp, and was looking at Dared and Meixing, but have not made the tube commitment yet. Still open to suggestions.

The Sherwood pieces are under the radar, most people don't even know Sherwood made some really grand pieces.

BTW, when I switch on the AM-7040, the lights in the house momentarily dim.

Cheers
 
Well time has past- and now I did finally come across the matching preamp to the Sherwwod power amp WOW was that worth the wait!!! Sonicly it is a beautiful match to the power amp with very unique features I have never seen in any preamo like an included sub woofer circuit and loads more. I am thrilled to say the least.

As was said already, while it is a mere 200 watts- it is a HIGH quality 200 MOSFET watts with excellent sound, duarbility and fexability. This are unique pieces for sure- well worth a colloectors time to acqute- Sherwood did make very impressive electronics at one time.

I do not know what tuner might have matched thsi set, but I found an analog one that did sound nice an am using it. Wonder what the matching cassette or CD player was to this set?

Appreciate hearing about oher peoples experience with their Sherwoods.
DC
 
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