Pre-amp suggestion for Primaluna 5

Well, I scratched an itch I've had for tube amps and purchased a used Primaluna 5 for pretty good price.
It is on it's way and I have no pre-amp or phono stage for it.
Any suggestions? Keep it affordable please.
My existing system is: Yamaha AS-500, Technics sl1700mkII, B&W 685's w/ Pioneer BS22-LR's

 

Budget?

 

Under $500 if possible; and will consider pre-owned.

 

That might be tough for both a pre and phono.
Don’t know what you paid for the primaluna 5, but it might be a thought to sell it and get an integrated primaluna.
I picked up my Primaluna Dialogue Premium for 2k. I love it.
Sell the yammy and get a phono pre.
Just something to consider.

 

Or, get a passive pre, and use the tape out from your yammy. Not pretty, but doable

 

What are some good passive pre's?

 

get a second hand Mytek Brookyln, does it all

 

B&K Pro-10 MC

Should be under $400

 

I have no idea about this one, but it has an alps pot. You could try it, and see if it works for you. There are others in the 200-500$ range, but at that point you might as well save up for a proper solution.

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Fully-balanced-Single-ended-Pre-amplifier-Controller/dp/B01MXC9HHW

 

Or... or.

You get a nice SS linestage, and a nice inexpensive phono pre.

Like an Acurus L-10 or L-11, and an original MS Phonomena.

Or any other transparent pre-amp, and a diy tube phono pre.

 

Since the Premium came out, Upscale Audio is selling the remaining Stock of Four's and Fives for $899 and $1,099 respectively.

 

I've got a chance to buy a Classe CP35 for $225; any ideas on this unit? I know it's a older pre-amp.

 

used Croft

 

I have one of these, works well and is a great and inexpensive solution to controlling the volume on an external power amp.

I do the same thing myself. My tube preamp, has a volume control, but it sits behind my head where I sit on the tan sofa.

Emotiva makes a similar product, or did, shall I say. It is called a ControlFreak. It is an analog volume control that is just a pot in a case, with a single 6' cable coming out and then it splits into two pair of RCA cables, one in and one out.

This is the 6SN7 tube preamp, behind the sofa.



Here is the control freak, hanging over the back of the sofa. It has a large, precision volume control. The Peachtree iNova is the central point of control, where you can select the source from its two analog and six digital inputs, it has a decent DAC for D/A conversion, and a SS preamp. I don't use the power amp section, opting to use this one source to power three separate power amps in the room. * Which, until recently, included the Five.

Up to now, I have been using tube amps, which are located behind the TV to power 103-dB. efficient theater speakers. The ControlFreak allows me to maintain precise control over the volume levels at all times.

Since Emotiva no longer sells the Control Freak, I bought a Nobsound unit, in the event that I require another remote analog volume control.



To the OP. I have two sets of front tower speakers that I use both for TV and stereo.

[please bear with me on this as this update only took place yesterday evening]



The main volume control on the Peacchtree, controls the volume level of the SS Emotiva XPA-2 , which powers either set of the front mains. I am able to switch back and forth between the Polk flagship LSiM707's (inside pair, which sound excellent with SS, because they were designed that way) and the Zu Audio, Omen definitions, which are the outside pair. The speaker A/B switch box is on top of the right 707.

Zu Audio has always insisted that they have designed the Zu's to sound good with either SS or tube amplification, so I have always used the SS amp on them, reserving the tube amps exclusively for the high efficiency theater speakers, which are harsh sounding when used with SS amps. I do like my Zu's, but, I guess that I have never felt completely satisfied with them, as they always seemed to have too much of an edge to them. The Zu's are high efficiency speakers also. They are 98-dB efficient, that play down to 30-Hz. It has always been my experience that tube amplification, in general, works best with very high efficiency speakers.

Well, since I have the Five as an extra amp and I still having it sit directly behind the TV, next to the L4. Yesterday, I decided to try the Five, with the Omen Definitions. So, yesterday evening, I unhooked and turned of the XPA-2 and hooked up the Zu's to the Five power amp. I was floored, the difference was not subtle, it was night and day.

Just a note, for the record, I think the Five is an excellent sounding tube amplifier, I have no issues with it what so ever. To get a tube amplifier of this quality and this price, is, in itself somewhat remarkable.

Zu speakers have always been controversial. With either you love them, or you hate them, few are to be found in the middle of the road.

A comment, that I will make at this time, those who share a profound dislike for them, were, in all probability, listening to them with SS amplification. When connected to tubes they are perfect and natural sounding. Not overly forward or harsh at all (I don't do harsh well).

Bottom line #1. Don't listen to Zu speakers (or A7's) with SS amps.

And secondly, to the OP. You are not going to get a quality tube line stage preamp for $500 or under.

While I have been using tube amps (and have tried some other SS amps, without much success) on the A7's since 2012. The SS Peachtree has always been the central component in my system, since its inception.

When I am listening to any digital source it always come off the SS Peachtree, before it went into the tube preamp that drives the A7's. So far, I have only been auditioning the Zu's through the Peachtree using streaming Pandora One, using a $49 Sony box.

If I can successfully use a SS front end into the Five, I have this feeling that the same would apply in your case.

You can buy a new digital Peachtree used, like the Decco65 or newer, or one of the older Nova's or iNova's. In addition, the all have a built-in class-A headphone amp and a tube buffer that you can take in and out of the circuit, with a button on the remote. Notice the two Peachtree amps in the photo above. The small LED at the base of the tube buffer, let's you know that both units have the buffer in the circuit.

The older Peachtree's that have that little tube window have tube buffer's. It is not a tube preamp circuit, there is no voltage gain or change in system volume level bringing the tube buffer in and out of the circuit.

Here are a few listings I have found.

Upscale Audio has a used Peachtree125, retail new $1,499, used $749, with a 2-year warranty. The power amp section is rated at 125-WPC into 8-Ohms and 220-WPC into 4-Ohms. An advantage of having a power amp section is that you can use it in case the Five needs to be sent in for service or a tube blows and you need to get a replacement.



I'm making some changes to my system today. I am doing away with the speaker A/B switch for the two front mains. I am going to have the LSiM707's connected to the Emotiva XPA-2 all the time and I am going to dedicate the Five to running the Zu's. I intend to NEVER use SS on the Omen Definition's ever again!

I'm going to keep the A/B switch. I bought an SS Electrocompaniet 50-WPC amplifier and I am going to use the speaker A/B switch to switch back and forth between the it and the EL34 based ANK L4 on the A7's.

I decided, that sometimes certain music sounds more "authentic" (like 80' music), with a SS amp. Also, that will allow me to run the A7's 24/7 with the SS amp, if I wish, so I'm not burning $280/quad NOS tubes, when not actively listening to the A7's.

For example, right now, I am playing YouTube "rain" videos through the HT processor, via a Chromecast device on the front and rear systems. I would like to be able to switch in the A7's, but even though the "rain" sounds might be better with tubes, I think that I can make due with SS.



You can switch back and forth between you Five and the Peachtree, when you want to conserve tube wear, as a quad of modern manufacturer EH KT88's will run about $160. Other KT88 tubes will be even more expensive. NOS forget about it!

B.T.W. member @Benzion has a Four that he purchased on sale from Upscale Audio last year, he has it set up in his bedroom system, with a pair of Zu Audio's Omen Dirty Weekend's MKII, that he also bought last year, during a Zu special offering. He is powering that system with a SS amp and he is happy with its SQ.

Peachtree Audio Nova Hybrid Integrated Amp/DAC $595, In a piano gloss case. (I have one of these and will not part with it.)

These next two Peachtree products are preamps only and have newer ESS Saber DAC's.

Superb Digital to Analog Converter​

The ESS Sabre Digital to Analog Converter is widely recognized as the world?s best DAC when dealing with hostile digital components like computers and streamers. Jitter is all but eliminated leaving a beautiful digital canvas as a base. The art of this DAC comes in with the hundreds of additional parts and multiple power supplies designed around the ESS chip that work in unison to produce the Peachtree sonic signature.

Peachtree Audio novaPRE Hybrid Tube PreAMP-DAC (High Gloss Black) $599.99 Buy It Now or Make Offer.

Peachtree Audio novaPre with DAC $579 (Refurbished direct from Peachtree, with a "same as new warranty") this unit has a cherry wood case, which I have on my Nova. It is a nice finish and is no longer being offered.

 

Correction - the power amp in this system is tubed - the ProLogue Four, the preamp is SS, but is voiced to sound like tubes - Cary Audio SL-100.

 

Schiit Audio, Headphone amps and DACs made in USA.
Saga is pretty great. 5 inputs 2 out (SE)
Tube buffer and passive also can put a LISST in the socket if tube life is a concern. I use passive to my headphones amp and tube for speakers.

 

Sorry, my bad, I meant to say was, your preamp is SS powering the tube Prologue Four.

 

The Cary Audio SL-100 is still available for a great deal. They list it as B-stock, and that's how I got mine, but, upon close inspection, can see no cosmetic reasons as to why (and they cite cosmetics reasons only as reason for B-stock designation). It's a great unit, and indeed sounds warm-ish, like tubes - a great match to my Four. I highly recommend it.

B-Stock | CaryDirect

If it's a tube preamp you want - you can contact Denny Brown, proprietor of Brown Audio Labs in Texas. He will custom-build you one of his SP-1B units with specs you want. It may have (or not) a 45 dB built-in tube MM phono, a tube headphone amp, balance controls, you name it. My suggestion, as always - go with the simplest one, and use separate dedicated units for phono and HP amps. It's quieter (and cheaper) that way.

I had bought from him before, he's an honest guy, and his gear is good enough to have deserved accolades and a recommendation from the Absolute Sound.

brownaudiolabs

Phone: 940-521-7638, ask for Denny

EDIT: Sorry, missed the $500 budget part. Brown Audio will be out of budget. So will Cary, but, if you can stretch your budget - Cary is well worth it, or try finding one used for less.

 

I have a shot at a Threshol

I have a chance to buy a used Threshold Fet Two (Series II think) for $375; any thoughts or knowledge of these units(anyone?). It has a phono stage in it also.

 

I have no experience with that piece, but Threshold has always been very well reviewed, and, IIRC, either Nelson Pass or John Curl was part thereof in the past, and that's why the gear is so highly praised.