Thread: preamps under $1000

so i sold off my beloved hovland. although i loved it and thought the phonostage in it is hard to beat, i want to start running several cartridges on my ortofon quick switch arm. so wasting an awesome preamp for just volume control was not what i wanted to do. my only other source than a turntable is a very cheap cd player i only use for when im working in another room or cleaning the house. so sound doesnt really matter.
so i bought this phonostage for now, probbaly picking it up next week. to see if i like it, if i do i will upgrade the big allnic.

im looking for temporary preamp to basically use for volume control . a preamp under $1000 preferably around the $600 area. i want tubes of course. so i can change them out to something good. my normal instinct is to buy a BAT vk3i which ive done twice in the past, but there arent any for sale right now, and ive been keeping my eye out for awhile for them with no luck. im also looking at the cutest little dared a 2000. which i read with good tubes is really good for $600.
any oppinions ??? anyone use any inexpensive but good pres??
any ideas?? oh btw by selling the hovland ,i get the phonostage(demo), a small pre, and have enough left over to either pay bills, or buy a grado reference cartridge!!!!! lmao!!!

forgot to mention the pic above is an allnic h1201

Originally Posted by Jack

Steve

Here are a couple of possibilities.

Anthem Pre 2L Line Stage, Black Face Plate c/w Remote - US Audio Mart

Audible Illusions 2D Tube Pre-amp - US Audio Mart

I have owned the first one since 1999 and it is taking it's turn in the main system now. In those days the Anthem brand was Sonic Frontier's version of the JOB.

thanks those are some good ideas. ive heard the anthem was pretty good for the money. and ive owned a AI 3a about 15 years ago. i was looking at this and for some reason i love it.lol. of course i dont expect much out of it, as i mentioned its just to control volume. but read some good reviews that said upgrade the tubes and it is a great little pre.
thanks Jack

If you had bought that integrated in your sig you wouldn't be in this predicament.

I like the little Dared you posted. How many inputs does that have?

Vincent Audio VA-31.

But I would look for a CARY SLP-03 on the 'gon.

ok thanks guys , i was looking at a load of them. it is not a permanent fixture, and i like the dared because i probably wont sell it after i get another pre in probably may or june. i would keep that and do something with it cause its just a cheap, cool looking piece of gear.
no idea what i would do with it, but ill figure something out.
mike i thought about that slp03, but and slp 05 is on my short list of peamps to buy in a few months. along with the CAT, and maybe even the badass allnic l3000(thats stretching the budget a bit.lmao!!)

mep i couldnt disagree more with your opinion on the vk3i. ive owned 2 at 2 different times and rolled every tube i could in and out. and 1 i kept around and tested it against some seriously fine preamps side by side. and it wasnt as good as them but damn close everytime for way less money. but it is your opinion and i respect that.
thank you all.

Hi Steve,

Will you entertain any SS preamps or are you tube only? Just wondering....

Originally Posted by MikeCh

Hi Steve,

Will you entertain any SS preamps or are you tube only? Just wondering....

hahaha!!! i entertain everything but probably would not buy ss anything. but i also might do it if it was the right deal. as i said its temporary so if ever i would entertain ss it would be for this purchase. but yes im tubes all the way.

If you could live without tubes I'd say give the Parasound Halo P5 a try. Really enjoying my new P5 pre for $1000. Its my first real preamp so I'm not able to give a direct comparison to other pre's. The dealer I bought from also sell AR and he was very impressed with the P5. The P5 loses out against the AR LS-27 he had in store, but it should. $6000 difference in price … I feel like I got a steal. Built-in DAC, toslink, coax, and USB ... a phone stage, MC - 100 / 47k loads, MM 47k load ...HT bypass … Sub output with adjustable crossover … Bass / Treble with tone bypass. To numerous to mention all.

There is a Jolida on Agon. Here are a few chinese preamps to take a look at if you are looking for a temporary fix, these have good reviews-

s2r

It looks like the SR2 is on sale. I have seen it go for $795

Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 D/A Converter

I own the Grant Fidelity, its a great little Preamp/DAC/tube buffer. It uses a single 6922 tube. I use a 1960 telefunken 6DJ8 in mine. With the upgraded tube it has a nice tube sound. The DAC section is very good. It is a great budget piece and a lot of bang for the buck. It would be a great stop gap. Unfortunately it does not come with a remote. I run mine with a Class D Audio digital amp and a pair of old Magnepan MMG's in my basement work out area. The stock tube is junk. It sounds best with the Telefunken or 1960 Amprex 6DJ8 non A-frame with the large or small halo getter.

The Vincent is a good deal.

I have a Van Alstine Ultra Plus hybrid tube preamp that uses 2 6CG7 tubes for sale. It was $1799 new as an Ultra SL preamp but it was factory upgraded to an Ultra Plus which was the top of the line of the Ultra series preamps and of all avahifi preamps at the time about 4 years ago, It has about $450 of upgrades. I am selling it for $900 with remote. It has multiple inputs and 2 line outs, 2 tape buffers and a HT by pass switch

Originally Posted by Jack

Steve

Since this is temporary have you thought about using something like the Luminous Audio Axiom Passive if you just want a volume control. I use the Wyred STP-SE passive with the JOB in a two TT setup and it does fine. It imparts nothing and gives you only the character of what is before and after it. Since you are using tubes in the phono pre and in the amps, that would be the simple solution and they start at less than $200 for a single input model.

jack i like that alot. its really just what i need, a volume control. i may never buy a pre if it does its job.lol. i just put in system info in their questionaire, see what they say. thank you.

Originally Posted by AudioExile

If you could live without tubes I'd say give the Parasound Halo P5 a try. Really enjoying my new P5 pre for $1000. Its my first real preamp so I'm not able to give a direct comparison to other pre's. The dealer I bought from also sell AR and he was very impressed with the P5. The P5 loses out against the AR LS-27 he had in store, but it should. $6000 difference in price … I feel like I got a steal. Built-in DAC, toslink, coax, and USB ... a phone stage, MC - 100 / 47k loads, MM 47k load ...HT bypass … Sub output with adjustable crossover … Bass / Treble with tone bypass. To numerous to mention all.

ive heard parasound, not sure of the model #. was nice, i dont need a phono input but i like the dac built in. an inexpensive dac is on my list, just for times when im busy and dont want to change records. and i can ditch this cd player for those times. cause i only have 5 cd's and only 2 of them sound not bright and irritating.lol.

Originally Posted by Mechnutt

There is a Jolida on Agon. Here are a few chinese preamps to take a look at if you are looking for a temporary fix, these have good reviews-

s2r

It looks like the SR2 is on sale. I have seen it go for $795

Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 D/A Converter

I own the Grant Fidelity, its a great little Preamp/DAC/tube buffer. It uses a single 6922 tube. I use a 1960 telefunken 6DJ8 in mine. With the upgraded tube it has a nice tube sound. The DAC section is very good. It is a great budget piece and a lot of bang for the buck. It would be a great stop gap. Unfortunately it does not come with a remote. I run mine with a Class D Audio digital amp and a pair of old Magnepan MMG's in my basement work out area. The stock tube is junk. It sounds best with the Telefunken or 1960 Amprex 6DJ8 non A-frame with the large or small halo getter.

The Vincent is a good deal.

I have a Van Alstine Ultra Plus hybrid tube preamp that uses 2 6CG7 tubes for sale. It was $1799 new as an Ultra SL preamp but it was factory upgraded to an Ultra Plus which was the top of the line of the Ultra series preamps and of all avahifi preamps at the time about 4 years ago, It has about $450 of upgrades. I am selling it for $900 with remote. It has multiple inputs and 2 line outs, 2 tape buffers and a HT by pass switch

cool , thanks. again i kinda like the built in dac idea. and no remote dont bother me, hovland hp100 was never made with one. but i just got a note from the guy who bought my hovland. he needs 2 weeks to pay.lmao!!! that is the 3rd time i sold this preamp and no one wants to pay me for it.lol at least this guy is leaving me a deposit, and i get 2 weeks to think about this. i just hope my allnic phonostage is still available in 2 weeks.

thanks again everyone.

If you decide to go with the Grant, take a look at TC tubes for the 6DJ8's. They have a great selection of the early 1960's Amprex non Aframe tubes. The ones with the large Halo getter have a bit more detail than the one's with the small Halo getter. They also have some Amprex from 1958 with D getters. I haven't tried one but I hear that they are supposed to be very good.

I have bought many tubes from TC. They are honest, reliable and they won't sell you any bad tubes. They are a young couple that sell from their home. I usually drop by to pick up the tubes.

Originally Posted by Mechnutt

If you decide to go with the Grant, take a look at TC tubes for the 6DJ8's. They have a great selection of the early 1960's Amprex non Aframe tubes. The ones with the large Halo getter have a bit more detail than the one's with the small Halo getter. They also have some Amprex from 1958 with D getters. I haven't tried one but I hear that they are supposed to be very good.

I have bought many tubes from TC. They are honest, reliable and they won't sell you any bad tubes. They are a young couple that sell from their home. I usually drop by to pick up the tubes.

nice i just checked out their site they have some nice 6sn7's i want to try!!!

If you have any questions for them, give them a call, Chelsea usually answers the phone. I just bought 8 6H30 tubes from them and traded in several 6CG7 NOS tubes.

By the way, if any one is looking for 6N1P's or C6G7's ( I have 2 pair of like new rare 6CG7 Mazda Brimar's that I bought from Upscale Audio), give me a buzz.

You can occasionally find some Van Alstine T-8 tube preamps with remote used for under $1K. I am selling my hybrid tube Van Alstine Plus preamp for $900 with remote, it was over $2K new.

well since im running only a turntable and should be picking up a pretty sweet phonostage this week or next. i just went with the axiom preamp. pretty much just controls the volume, and is dead neutral. im going to hear the whole setup together in a couple days before i buy, but im pretty much sold on it. and can hear it with and without another pre in the mix and my dream integrated in there as well. so if it all works out ,i dont think there is a need for a preamp for now at all. thx for all the advise guys!!

:Exciting:

Originally Posted by Mike

Vincent Audio VA-31.
.

nice little pre-amp the SA-31

Don't know if you have purchased any thing yet but there is a vincent sa-t1 on audiogon now.

Originally Posted by Mike

Vincent Audio VA-31.

But I would look for a CARY SLP-03 on the 'gon.

I agree with Mike. If you could get a used Cary SLP-03 that would be the ticket. An outstanding preamp that can greatly benefit from tube rolling.

There are a few more pre-amps that can be found, if you look. The Quicksilver Remote Control Line Stage Pre. or a Rogue Audio Perseus Magnum preamp. I've owned both and had no complaints.

If you can find a VTL 2.5 for $1k, it's well worth it.