Upgrade time...maybe tube time?

[RGA]

Well feaner you can just look who it is and you know what I am going to mention. Hold the suspense.....drum roll after months away form this site.....yes an Audio Note preamp. hahaha.

I am looking into the M3 KIt preamp when I come back to Canada - it's balanced and it is truly balanced. I think it runs slightly over your budget and it does not have a remote -- but I was like that too because I always had a remote but really you only use it for volume - I simply adjust the volume when I am putting the new LP or CD on anyway so in about a week you'll never miss it.

Kits generally provide you better parts comparable pre made gear -- and for a small fee they will build it for you anyway I believe. It does not look anything special - no exciting tubes showing. This is apparently a very new kit so by the time I get back to Canada there will be more info on it. Could suck with SS power amps for all I know though. http://www.audionotekits.com/line.html

[Feanor]

Well feaner you can just look who it is and you know what I am going to mention. Hold the suspense.....drum roll after months away form this site.....yes an Audio Note preamp. hahaha.
...
Kits generally provide you better parts comparable pre made gear -- and for a small fee they will build it for you anyway I believe. It does not look anything special - no exciting tubes showing. This is apparently a very new kit so by the time I get back to Canada there will be more info on it. Could suck with SS power amps for all I know though. http://www.audionotekits.com/line.html

Nice to hear from you -- we've missed you around here since you've been in Japan. I gather you're not back yet, but I hope you've had a great sojourn over there.

It's a pity that there are not more kits available. In my many years of hifi involvement I've built at least five kits, not without some aggravations along the way, but I got them all working despite my lack of any electrical knowledge. The AN's look like pretty slick units, and no doubt good value relative to the factory products, (assuming DIY assembly). With my restricted budget these days, (two kids in college), I rely on used equipment to keep the cost down. But of the AN kits I'd be most likely to consider the DAC 1.1.

Personally I'd miss a remote control: there's too much variation in recording levels to rely in pre-adjustment for so many recordings. Nowadays too, I queue up quite a few selections in iTunes and there will be quite a lot of recording level variation, so I'd be up off my duff 'way too often.

Anyway, I've no doubt folks around here are looking forward to your greater participation upon your return from the far side.

[jrhymeammo]

since i do not know anything about it. But why not AN? Where are the specs though...?

Welcome back!!!

Be sure to pick up Onzow Zerodust for $15, if you havent already. I got mine at Disk Union along with bags of LP.

JRA

[Mr Peabody]

Hi RGA, good to hear from you and looking forward to your return.

AN, not long ago put out a couple single box CD players. They have one at $2,500.00 that is supposed to have the 1.1x DAC in it. If this is truely the 1.1x DAC, this is an exceptional value because AN's transports are pretty expensive. I feel at full retail the 1.1x is a good value. It sounds incredible.

[RGA]

since i do not know anything about it. But why not AN? Where are the specs though...?

Welcome back!!!

Be sure to pick up Onzow Zerodust for $15, if you havent already. I got mine at Disk Union along with bags of LP.

JRA

AN almost never posts specs on anything. Being a SET maker what would be the point?

[RGA]

Hi RGA, good to hear from you and looking forward to your return.

AN, not long ago put out a couple single box CD players. They have one at $2,500.00 that is supposed to have the 1.1x DAC in it. If this is truely the 1.1x DAC, this is an exceptional value because AN's transports are pretty expensive. I feel at full retail the 1.1x is a good value. It sounds incredible.

Thanks - I had heard about it -- I went to the site and looked it up more closely. The 4.1x / II looks interesting. Something tells me it will be more than double the $2500.00 but one can dream. http://www.audionote.co.uk/news/arti..._players.shtml

[Bernd]

.....I will resurect this interesting thread with the promised findings on the Tungsram 6922.
I have been a Tungsram fan for a while in using ECC83s and 82s alongside my trusted Telefunkens and Siemens and Halske.
The 6922s went into the Steelhead to replace the S&H CCa. I left the Tungsol 5687s unchanged.
The first thing that struck me was a touch more warmth. Which was very pleasant and made some modern recordings almost listenible. The Tungsrams are also completly silent and detailed as are the S$H (also the S&H wins on detail retrievel). The Tungsram has slightly less HF extension, but again that can be a good thing with modern recrodings as it removes some of the glare the S&H can add through it's superb clarity and detail retrievel.
So a tough call really. In an ideal world I would like a hybrid between these two, They are very close to one another, yet display differences.
Both are however highly recommended.
I am still trying to find some Amperex 7308s white label to try out. Missed a great pair on the bay recently due to a hectic few weeks.

Peace