Need a pre amp recommendation

@gbkirsch
Hey Gary. The link below, takes you to the PrimaLuna dialogue premium preamp page. On it, are 2 videos of Kevin Deal talking about the Dialogue, and other preamps, and describing some preamp industry inside information.
He's certainly trying to sell the PrimaLuna products, but he's delivering an informative insight into Preamps in general. I recommend watching both the vids, they aren't long, and you get a very good idea of what yer actually buying, in any preamp that you choose.
He's a good salesman, for sure, but like myself, he seems like an old hippie that wants to cut thru the industry crap, and just provide value.
I can't afford a Dialogue preamp yet, but at some point I will replace my YS-Audio Symphonies
pre with one of these. Probably a used one.

https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/primaluna-dialogue-premium-preamplifier

Cheers,

Dave
 
@gbkirsch
Hey Gary. The link below, takes you to the PrimaLuna dialogue premium preamp page. On it, are 2 videos of Kevin Deal talking about the Dialogue, and other preamps, and describing some preamp industry inside information.
He's certainly trying to sell the PrimaLuna products, but he's delivering an informative insight into Preamps in general. I recommend watching both the vids, they aren't long, and you get a very good idea of what yer actually buying, in any preamp that you choose.
He's a good salesman, for sure, but like myself, he seems like an old hippie that wants to cut thru the industry crap, and just provide value.
I can't afford a Dialogue preamp yet, but at some point I will replace my YS-Audio Symphonies
pre with one of these. Probably a used one.

https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/primaluna-dialogue-premium-preamplifier

Cheers,

Dave

Thank you for all the info Dave! Maybe you can answer this question. I'm noticing most, if not all, of the modern tube preamps just don't have a phono stage. Is there a reason for this? Does sound quality suffer if the phono stage is integrated rather than separate?
 
Hi, son of Gary.
Yer very welcome for the info. It's so much easier buying stuff when you know a little bit about the nuts and bolts of it. You don't need highly technical, electronics experience; just lots of good comparative info about the variety of items that are in your price range. And maybe, with a thot towards what you'd eventually like your system to be. Then, every upgrade moves you forward towards that.
I believe the reason that the better preamps don't have phono stages, is cuz the better phono stages are kinda pricey, and that would price the preamp out of it's intended demographic. But also, as you move forward, yer probably going to want to spend more on a phono stage if yer still playing vinyl, cuz a good PS makes a heck of a difference in the sound.
So, it's not that the PS sounds worse when incorporated into a pre. There's quite a few high-end pre's with excellent PSs. Also, once you've got a good stand-alone PS, you can upgrade your pre, or just try a different type of pre, without messing with your PS.
There's some great vintage PSs like the Vendetta Research SCP-2 (which may be hard to find), and there's also less older ones like Tavish Adagio, or Graham Slee Products. GSP has a couple of models (I have the Reflex M), but all of the above-mentioned units had excellent reviews, again and again. I do recommend a used PS, so you can pass it on with little loss, if you want to change it.

Dave
 
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