• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Best Vintage Preamp

leesonic said:
Maybe it has a bleed-through problem? I personally on have one source turned on at a time, if I'm listening to CDs, I turn the CD player on. Not sure what the advantage is of having everything turned on at once.
Click to expand...

This is a huge subject, there is zero reason to run a unit while using another, its just not "Sound Wise"
and seeing the miles of wire beyond a simple NAD, I think the C4 would be a great filter, and not just for bleed thru.
 
I don't see a c-note as doing anything more than opening a C-4 for inspection, with no work done to bring its sound back to like new. There are about 85 caps in a C-4 that got replaced with I did mine. Sounds fine, no enough High Level inputs. Good phono flexibility. Used it for some time after the work was done on it but I have more preamps that need play time.
 
Blue Shadow said:
I don't see a c-note as doing anything more than opening a C-4 for inspection, with no work done to bring its sound back to like new. There are about 85 caps in a C-4 that got replaced with I did mine. Sounds fine, no enough High Level inputs. Good phono flexibility. Used it for some time after the work was done on it but I have more preamps that need play time.
Click to expand...

Agree. That C-4 didn't get much work done to it. Not at all close to a "refurb".
 
Blue Shadow said:
I don't see a c-note as doing anything more than opening a C-4 for inspection, with no work done to bring its sound back to like new. There are about 85 caps in a C-4 that got replaced with I did mine. Sounds fine, no enough High Level inputs. Good phono flexibility. Used it for some time after the work was done on it but I have more preamps that need play time.
Click to expand...

Blue i may well have mis read your post, but it sounded as if you are erasing me from my past, the work was done by
the same tech who worked for and was recommended by the yami east coast importer/distributor Steve Zabotd, my bill was 1 and 1/2 c notes, with a 350,00 cap, the tech felt there was no where to go.
and I feel leesonic;s apples and oranges view is correct, if the machines had been made to fulfill the same porpoise
the would provide the same out come, as such again to buyers--make sure their different out come-functions
don't collide with your objectives.
 
I did a full recap and other stuff to a C-4. Based on that work, your over 100 wasn't much work. That it was done by a tech specialist in Yamaha wasn't mentioned nor was the timeframe so don't know the condition. But you pretty well disowned it and some think it might be worthy of some kind of use other than holding the door open. But whatever, that is your opinion and I got no problem with that.
 
Blue Shadow said:
But you pretty well disowned it and some think it might be worthy of some kind of use other than holding the door open. But whatever, that is your opinion and I got no problem with that.
Click to expand...

HA HA HA HA HA I did not dis own anything to become a door stop, and sorry but i can't not stop laughing at your terminology, I feel I have been accused of abandoning a sick child in a foreign land :whip:
first and wrong of me not to state sooner, this was 25 years ago. second some equipment just hates other equipment.
that well may have been the case. ha ha ha just so ya know, it went to work running a whole house system
which is exactly where it belonged, and what it was built for, plus i ran into that ungrateful prick 5 years ago, and since he never mentioned it, and i had to ask, and it was still running.
it was designed to run a whole planet, so i am sure its very happy
 
I own and enjoy a McIntosh MAC 4200 which I use as a preamp. I was going to trade "up" to a McIntosh C220 preamp. Alas, the MAC 4200 plus the McIntosh C7 is a wonderful preamp combo. With such a combination, I have remote control, LED L/R meter preamp readouts, a McIntosh phono stage, and a bonus terrific 75 watt stereo McIntosh amp into 8 ohms (100 watt into 4 ohms). My power amp is a McIntosh 7300. Speakers are XRT 24 - sweet. I was surprised with the quality of the combo of a MC7300 amp paired with the preamp section of a McIntosh MAC 4200. For me, the lesson is that there often are several terrific options when working with TOTL audio. So, feel free to think outside of the box.
 
A great (SS) preamp is Audio Research LS3. Very transparent.

AS-140-Audio-Research-LS3-4269393830-g.jpg
 
Here I am, fishing for opinions and experience...

My main system is a heavily modded Lenco 78, a decent Marantz CD player, a nice Onkyo cassette deck, a CJ PV-5 pre, QSC Series Three 3800 power amp and Apogee Centaur speakers.

Centaurs were trashed pretty bad during a move, requiring professional help. Meantime, I picked up a pair of ML Motion 12s to get by with until I saved enough sheckles to fix the Apogee's. An insulation flaw resulted in a short, blowing right channel of QSC and adding severe static to CJ's right channel. Picked up a nice Rotel RB-991 amp but no pre yet.

I'm kinda stuck on this. Budget is very tight. I figure my choices are limited to an older receiver/integrated amp with pre out, or a minimal passive preamp.

Leaning towards the passive preamp, but I'd like to hear some better opinions than mine... Thanks!
 
macabre1993 said:
Here I am, fishing for opinions and experience...

My main system is a heavily modded Lenco 78, a decent Marantz CD player, a nice Onkyo cassette deck, a CJ PV-5 pre, QSC Series Three 3800 power amp and Apogee Centaur speakers.

Centaurs were trashed pretty bad during a move, requiring professional help. Meantime, I picked up a pair of ML Motion 12s to get by with until I saved enough sheckles to fix the Apogee's. An insulation flaw resulted in a short, blowing right channel of QSC and adding severe static to CJ's right channel. Picked up a nice Rotel RB-991 amp but no pre yet.

I'm kinda stuck on this. Budget is very tight. I figure my choices are limited to an older receiver/integrated amp with pre out, or a minimal passive preamp.

Leaning towards the passive preamp, but I'd like to hear some better opinions than mine... Thanks!
Click to expand...
In my experience passive preamps which is a misnomer since they don't pre-amplify, lack the dynamics of an active model.
 
macabre1993 said:
Here I am, fishing for opinions and experience...

My main system is a heavily modded Lenco 78, a decent Marantz CD player, a nice Onkyo cassette deck, a CJ PV-5 pre, QSC Series Three 3800 power amp and Apogee Centaur speakers.

Centaurs were trashed pretty bad during a move, requiring professional help. Meantime, I picked up a pair of ML Motion 12s to get by with until I saved enough sheckles to fix the Apogee's. An insulation flaw resulted in a short, blowing right channel of QSC and adding severe static to CJ's right channel. Picked up a nice Rotel RB-991 amp but no pre yet.

I'm kinda stuck on this. Budget is very tight. I figure my choices are limited to an older receiver/integrated amp with pre out, or a minimal passive preamp.

Leaning towards the passive preamp, but I'd like to hear some better opinions than mine... Thanks!
Click to expand...
Another thing, you would need an outboard phono stage if you used a passive preamp. Your CJ has one built in.
 
convivialist said:
I own and enjoy a McIntosh MAC 4200 which I use as a preamp. I was going to trade "up" to a McIntosh C220 preamp. Alas, the MAC 4200 plus the McIntosh C7 is a wonderful preamp combo. With such a combination, I have remote control, LED L/R meter preamp readouts, a McIntosh phono stage, and a bonus terrific 75 watt stereo McIntosh amp into 8 ohms (100 watt into 4 ohms). My power amp is a McIntosh 7300. Speakers are XRT 24 - sweet. I was surprised with the quality of the combo of a MC7300 amp paired with the preamp section of a McIntosh MAC 4200. For me, the lesson is that there often are several terrific options when working with TOTL audio. So, feel free to think outside of the box.
Click to expand...

McIntosh recommends a pair of non-shorting plugs be connected at the POWER AMP input jacks if the amplifier section of the MAC4200 is not going to be used.

Doing so will disconnect the MAC4200's preamp section so the amplifier will not be run needlessly which should help extend the life of the amplifier transistors.
 
Like others question, what year does Vintage start at?

My Early 90s VAC CLA Dual Mono Tube Pre was a Reference Component in it's day and still is killer.
 
Spe@kerBox said:
DB Systems DB-1A was pretty good. I had one for a long time driving my Amber ST-70.
Click to expand...
Amen. I have one. Neutral and transparent, the proverbial "straight wire with gain." Also (thought they may have been mentioned already), the Sanyo C55, Luxman 5C50 (best SS preamp I've had: preferred it to Krell and Klyne, and miles ahead of Adcom, NAD, Kenwood et al), and for tubes, Luxman CL-34.

I don't know if it's "vintage" yet: Tandberg 3002A — the transparency of the DB Systems, with way more features, including a fantastic MC/MM Phono stage (as good or better than any standalone I've used).
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom