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The biggest and baddest Pre Amplifiers of all time?

Dazaa

Dazaa

Super Member
Everyone raves on about huge power amps and massive meters but there isn't much mention of the monster pre amplifiers that often matched such power amps. Interested to see what statement pieces were made by the Japanese giants in the 70's and 80's and also if any US companies made anything similar. I'll start with one I own, currently being repaired. JVC JP-V1000, supposedly class A, 3 phono inputs each with variable cartridge loading, quad compatible hence the 4 vu's and an interesting SEA equalisation system with 7 individual tone controls (individually controlled for the front and back speakers)
 

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A second one I own (not working) The Sony TA-E88, a truly dual mono pre amp with entirely separate amplification for each channel with 2 separate power transformers. 2 phono inputs and again, variable cartridge loading. Definitely not as rare as the JVC however still worth a mention.
 

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The Kenwood supremes are nice.
Accuphase,
I'm guessing you're specific to SS but obviously a lot of fine tube and SS units made today by the usual players.
Maybe somewhat off the radar a GAS Thaedra.
 
I was going to hit on that. While PA need big power supplies , caps, heatsinks to accomplish their tasks Preamps only deal with low level signals. A clean but low power supply and some Class A simple (often better) gain circuit (Low and no feedback often yield best results).
At least one school of thought anyway. Doesn't make for monster. Just killer sound!
 
Dunno that it's the biggest, certainly not the baddest, but at ~30lbs for a preamp it's not too shabby...my old Anthem AVM 20.
 
One of my all time favorites.
Audio Research SP-10
SP10_and_SP10_PS_F1.jpg
 
I don't know a whole lot about it, but the Sansui CA-3000 looks pretty "big and bad," paired with the BA-3000 power amp.

beec8411d38e595316204c37a0a8094a.jpg


Personally, I have an SAE Mark 1M, which I love. Not quite as big and bad as the Sansui, but I think it looks great!
Here's a pic from the interwebs...

297153-sae_mark_1m_preamp__rare_black_version.jpg
 
nj pheonix said:
The Kenwood supremes are nice.
Accuphase,
I'm guessing you're specific to SS but obviously a lot of fine tube and SS units made today by the usual players.
Maybe somewhat off the radar a GAS Thaedra.
Click to expand...

Nope not necessarily ss only, would love to see any serious tube pre amps!
 
Dazaa said:
Wish I owned this one. Super rare, Rotel RC5000, don't think i've ever seen one on Ebay UK.
Click to expand...

I was going to mention this one.
Another AK’re has one here for a check up.
I think it completes his system.
I rebuilt his amp and he has other parts, tuner?
Massive stuff.
 
The Crown DL-2 line stage preamp with separate power supply that will switch the high powered amp in the Distinction Series, the SA-2 or pro model PSA-2.

Shown here on the left on top of the power supply. On the right is a Crown OC-150a (output control center, amp metering, speaker switching, headphone switching and such) and an older D-150 amp. Maybe I ought to get a shot of the DL-2, OC-150a and PSA-2 since the D-150 has moved on and a PSA-2 has showed up.

600-2.jpg

The DL-2 preamp had two separate phono modules with variable gain, 30-50dB for the MM cartridges and 50-70dB for the MC cartridges. These sound excellent only being bested in our listening tests by a Pass Pearl 2. They run on power from the power supply also so all AC voltage can be put well away from the main rig.
 
Blue Shadow said:
The Crown DL-2 line stage preamp with separate power supply that will switch the high powered amp in the Distinction Series, the SA-2 or pro model PSA-2.

Shown here on the left on top of the power supply. On the right is a Crown OC-150a (output control center, amp metering, speaker switching, headphone switching and such) and an older D-150 amp. Maybe I ought to get a shot of the DL-2, OC-150a and PSA-2 since the D-150 has moved on and a PSA-2 has showed up.

View attachment 1174418

The DL-2 preamp had two separate phono modules with variable gain, 30-50dB for the MM cartridges and 50-70dB for the MC cartridges. These sound excellent only being bested in our listening tests by a Pass Pearl 2. They run on power from the power supply also so all AC voltage can be put well away from the main rig.
Click to expand...

I had no idea Crown made anything like that! Looks very Revox inspired style wise, love it. How does it sound?
 
I had the Pioneer Spec One and the Sansui BA3000 pictured above. To my ears, both were mediocre, lacking clarity, transparency, "musicality". May have been all the knobs and switches the signal had to pass through, all the separate lengths of wire (or traces) used to connect everything, and the pounds of solder. But both looked sensational.
 
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