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Best Vintage Preamp

@rickl ,Thanks for reposting such a good looking, winner !
After working on and building tube amps for nearly three decades, I have concentrated on preamps. I have analyzed phono stages, of all types, for nearly the last two decades. While there are some other, fantastic sounding, RIAA phono preamps, there are no others, which I have heard or analyzed, which have such accurate phono EQ playback curves of all types, ages and variations. The switchable, versatility of the KT-600 also has few peers.

In that vintage world, the KT-600 early versions, used hand-selected, resistors and silver-mica capacitors, matched within 3% per channel. The factory wired, brass and thin fascia versions, were wired and assembled by such masters as Stu Hegeman, Ed Duda and their associates, with pride.
I vote for the KT-600 as thee best, vintage preamp effort.

I have heard and own some enjoyable, later stereo as well as rebuilt and optimized, dual mono preamps, which I also treasure. My Paragon E and optimized, (imho), Eico HF-85 are also contenders, but the versatility and unique abilities of the KT-600 cannot be beat. It is truly a transcription marvel...
 
Ds2000 said:
I’ve come to find that the Accuphase C-280V, this one here restored by Accuphase in Japan is among the very best and quite flexible. And a superb phono stage too.
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"Best" seems way too subjective. I've never owned any of the really expensive ones mentioned here, but the best one I've owned is probably the Luxman C-12, and the one with the most impressive internal layout and components (no electrolytics in the signal path, shielded power supply, etc). I also think the Nakamichi line punched way above their weight, with CA5 and CA7 series and even the lower end 410 pre-amp from1980ish using molex type connectors and high quality components. Sanyo C55 also a very good performer at a very reasonably price.

Ones that I've found somewhat not up to their companion components are the Hitachi series (HCA7500 and 8500) though the amplifiers (HMA7500 and 8500 mk II) are superb MOSFET units.
 
KeithTr said:
"Best" seems way too subjective. I've never owned any of the really expensive ones mentioned here, but the best one I've owned is probably the Luxman C-12, and the one with the most impressive internal layout and components (no electrolytics in the signal path, shielded power supply, etc). I also think the Nakamichi line punched way above their weight, with CA5 and CA7 series and even the lower end 410 pre-amp from1980ish using molex type connectors and high quality components. Sanyo C55 also a very good performer at a very reasonably price.

Ones that I've found somewhat not up to their companion components are the Hitachi series (HCA7500 and 8500) though the amplifiers (HMA7500 and 8500 mk II) are superb MOSFET units.
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For some perspective, check out Ds2000's signature at the bottom of that post you quoted.
 
Ds2000 we love your posts.

Throwing this in that I fixed my center channel problem on the Lafayette kt600 preamp and now I’m using it as a subwoofer out. How about that a preamp from the 60s with a variable subwoofer control on the front! So much better than bending over to reach the sub controls. I wonder if other vintage preamps have a variable center channel pot on the face?
 
KeithTr said:
"Best" seems way too subjective. I've never owned any of the really expensive ones mentioned here, but the best one I've owned is probably the Luxman C-12, and the one with the most impressive internal layout and components (no electrolytics in the signal path, shielded power supply, etc). I also think the Nakamichi line punched way above their weight, with CA5 and CA7 series and even the lower end 410 pre-amp from1980ish using molex type connectors and high quality components. Sanyo C55 also a very good performer at a very reasonably price.

Ones that I've found somewhat not up to their companion components are the Hitachi series (HCA7500 and 8500) though the amplifiers (HMA7500 and 8500 mk II) are superb MOSFET units.
Click to expand...
Several you mention are superb. The Nak CA preamps are gems. So is that Lux.
 
Ds2000 said:
Several you mention are superb. The Nak CA preamps are gems. So is that Lux.
Click to expand...

I got lucky with the Luxman. The price was a decent bargain, but the seller told me it was working, but one channel was not. I got him to reduce the price by a fair amount and took a gamble that it was the original DML unit that was faulty. and it was. There is a guy here making replacement DMLs for luxman that worked like a charm. I have not yet restored it (it's in the queue) but it is now working perfectly. Wonderfully designed unit (internal layout) and high quality components.
 
Supposedly the C-12 has the best implementation of the 'linear equaliser' tone control, which imo, is better than the one in the earlier 5C50, will soon be able to compare it to a CL-32 too (I'm very much a fan of Luxman preamps).

When your going through the C-12 make sure to check the transistors for silver oxide (black) as they used them in this unit.
 
My John Curl designed Parasound P/LD 2000 preamp is all original, built in 1996. The quality of the parts used back then were all top notch.
I bought it a few years ago for $300.
They are going for $600-700. now.
To duplicate the build quality and engineering today would run about $8,000.

Uncolored sound.

Dual mono, Class A, no feedback, balanced input-outputs, what’s not to like?
pld-2000 front.jpgPLD 2000 back.jpgPLD-2000 top off.jpg
 
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