just dave
vintage rules!
Old school stylin,I love it.
The biggest and baddest Pre Amplifiers of all time?
- Thread starter Dazaa
- Start date
The matching Denon amp, POA-A1HDCI, is hooked up to this pre-amp. It's a 10-channel amp, and I have two channels bridged to power the front left, center, and front right (6 channels total), and the remaining four channels powering a pair of surround sides, and a pair of surround rears. All speakers are from Definitive Technology. I use an Oppo UDP-205 as the source. This pre-amp/amp pair does the HT duties for me. As you can see, the pre-amp has a ton of legacy input/outputs, but I don't use any of them.
Here is a shot of the interconnects in the rear. It's a real mess.
I have the DVD AX1 as well. It was called DVD-5910CI here in the states.
The matching player was actually the DVD-A1UDCI, which was a blu-ray player, and was plagued with a host of technical issues when it was released, so I never acquired it.
Boonaroo
Super Member
That amp is a true thing of beauty. I am sure you are enjoying your investment.
I too have Definitive Technology speakers and truly love them. I am sure they are a great match in your system. As long as others don't see your mess in the rear, who cares. The components are all I would ogle anyway!!!
Doctorhugo
Los Angeles CA
I'd like to add the SAE 1B to the discussion........parts quality and build are truly magnificent.
bluesky
Lunatic Member
Sansui's MONSTER CA-3000 'biggest and baddest' pre-amp paired with the MONSTER BA-5000 'biggest and baddest' power amp!!
Those two will 'structurally destroy' your house. It will drive the nails right out of your 2x4s & crack the walls. Your window frames will be destroyed. Your lamps will vibrate right off the tables. Dust will rise off everything and float in the air. It will be the 'cosmic energy - yeah BASH!"
Back in the old days they used to power >>> Movie Theaters <<<.
That's heavy gear... Way Too Much for 'mortal man'.
Last thing in the world I need! lol. (I'd like to have a pair!
but not really. Toooo much Power.)
Nuff Said.
Those two will 'structurally destroy' your house. It will drive the nails right out of your 2x4s & crack the walls. Your window frames will be destroyed. Your lamps will vibrate right off the tables. Dust will rise off everything and float in the air. It will be the 'cosmic energy - yeah BASH!"
Back in the old days they used to power >>> Movie Theaters <<<.
That's heavy gear... Way Too Much for 'mortal man'.
Last thing in the world I need! lol. (I'd like to have a pair!
but not really. Toooo much Power.)Nuff Said.
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Haven't suffered that calamity myself. When you look at the schematics you find comparatively weak power supplies as compared with modern gear.
Preamp runs 2000 uF on 24.5V rails for 0.6 joules of energy
Power amp runs 88000 uF on 53V rails for 124 joules of energy
Gee, my runt of the litter Audio Research SP20 has 38 joules and the VTL monoblocks, 250 joules each. If you want to get truly heroic with a preamp, refer to the REF10 with 300 joules in its 50 lb power supply!
I rather enjoy the explosive dynamics of having large energy reserves.
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idf.bts
Well-Known Member
Bizarrely, yes. Signal levels are getting so loud that they are causing pre-amps to distort. Funny, a meter on a pre would help determine the cause of the distortion.
AudioAvarice
Super Member
Always wanted to try one of these, a Luxman C-5000A with a really nice modular layout.
You're focusing on the wrong end. The challenge is potential input overload - not clipping a preamp's output.
My preamp is nominally rated for 2V but can output 18V. Clipping is simply not a worry with any amplifier.
idf.bts
Well-Known Member
If the level into the pre is too high, it will clip. I have one right here with that problem.
idf.bts
Well-Known Member
If an input signal into a preamp is too high, and an input path transistor distorts as a result, then that distortion is passed along into the signal path downstream. I didnt say clipping in my other post, distortion seems a better characterization. I don't know how input overload is defined, perhaps you are correct, I am not sure what that means exactly.
Agree. Something that an output meter would never show.
All amplification stages - phono, line, or amplifier - have a structure based upon an input sensitivity, amount of gain and rated output. Exceeding the design's maximum input level just creates internal distortion.
PabloTincho
Super Member
The most expensive preamp in my collection is the Yamaha C-2x, but I do like my
HK AP2500 signature preamp, all discrete sections, even the headphones
HK AP2500 signature preamp, all discrete sections, even the headphones
WaynerN
Addicted Member
The Van Alstine Insight EC preamp has everything one would want. Its SS design features 8 line inputs, 2 line outputs, 2 tape monitor in/outs, 1 tape monitor loop, mono/stereo, defeatable tone controls, hi/lo filter, headphone out, and remote controlled Alps volume control.
First Sound
Boulder 3010
Ayre KX-R
Boulder 3010
Ayre KX-R
Danathepill
Well-Known Member
It might not be the biggest or baddest but it’s certainly the sexiest
