Need Preamp Advice for a Marantz 8B

I am just getting into tubes and I picked up a Marantz 8B to build a tube system. I know that it would probably be best to match it with a Marantz 7C preamp but that is a little out of my budget right now. What would be a good tube preamp match for this amp. I would like to keep within the $500 - $1,000 price range. Is it better to stick with vintage preamps or are there some modern ones in this price range that would work well? I will be using the system to listen to classic rock and jazz.

Thanks, Mike

 

I would like the preamp to include a phono stage as well.


Mike

 

It's generally best to keep vintage with vintage. A quicker modern tube preamp probably isn't the ideal complement for a slower vintage tube amp, although there might be some out there that would work out. I'd say keep that cool vintage sound, then if you want something faster later on, go all modern.

Consider a McIntosh MX110. That oughta be a good combo. Has a decent MM phono stage, too. You ought be able to find a good MX110 for about $1000.

Nice amp you've got there.

 

Thanks for the recommendation Arin. The McIntosh MX110 is not one I had thought about. I'll do a little research and see what they're going for.

Mike

 

A friend of mine swears by Scott preamps with the Marantz 8b. He's currently trying to get my Scott 130 from me, but no deal has been made as of yet. You may want to take a look at my vintage tube gear ad in the classified section. If you are interested, send me a PM.

 

Surely those things in the back wouldn't be shelves and shelves of LPs, now would they?

 

Whats that on the left top corner?

 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I have decided to stick with vintage stuff. Does anybody else have any suggestions for a reasonably priced tube preamp that would work well with the 8B?

Thanks, Mike

 

This is your limiting factor. If you're looking to stay around $1000, the choices are going to be limited. Compounding that is the limited number of vintage preamps that'll actually do justice to one of the very finest vintage amps ever made, the Marantz 8B.

For the budget you've set, the Marantz 7c and McIntosh C22 are gonna be too pricey, and although it's a classic, I wouldn't recommend the C22 in this case, anyway.

For McIntosh, that leaves the MX110 or the C20. The C20 is tube-rectified, though. That's fine in and of itself, but the Marantz 8B is solid-state-rectified...as is the McIntosh MX110. That's why I think the MX110 would be a better match for your application.

HH Scott made some pretty nice equipment. What Prix is suggesting might not be a bad option, but I don't know a whole lot about Scott preamps, so can't really be of much help there. Sure looks perty, though.

The only other vintage preamp I know of that might do the job is *maybe* a Harmon-Kardon, but I don't know a whole lot of HK specifics, either.

As an added bonus, the MX110 also has a pretty decent tuner. That'd be good for some kicks.

 

You guys are really selling me on the MX110. It sounds like it would work well and I've always liked the McIntosh gear. Prix's HH Scott really does look nice but I don't know enough about them to make a good judgment about it. Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the input.

Mike

 

I have paired my 8b with the MX-110 and it is a really nice combo.

Another odd-ball choice would be a Dynaco PAS-3 REISSUE from the 90's. It uses 12AX7's and has a nice phono stage. I have one and love it. It should run you about $350 and is very reliable.

 

No AM is not a problem. I only listen to AM for a little sports radio in the car.

Mike

 

Was this Dynaco the Van Alstine version?

Mike

 

Here's another that *might* work with the Marantz nicely...

In the early 1990s, VAC produced the Vintage Preamplifier. It was designed to complement their series of amps employing the old Williamson circuit. Might be a swell match considering that. Maybe if you look around long enough, you could score one for about a $1000. Kevin Hayes even offers upgrades for it still if you wanted to go that way in the future...

http://www.vac-amps.com/spotter.html#VPre

Pretty spiffy cosmetics if you ask me. Nice and simple.

 

Now these look pretty. If I had to choose by how they look this would be the choice. I really don't care about the tuner at all so if I can hook up a turntable and a SACD/CD player I'm good to go. I going to do a little research on these and try to find out how much they go for used and more importantly how they sound.

Mike

 

Try calling Kevin directly at VAC. He's pretty much an expert on the Marantz 8B as it was VAC who built the exacting 7C, 8B and Model 9 monoblock reissues for Marantz back in the 1990s. I hear he's a really friendly guy...

Actually, based on that Marantz experience, VAC produced their own updated version of the 8B called the VAC Auricle. They also produced a matching preamp cleverly called the VAC Auricle Preamplifier. That might be of interest to you as well.

 

I use a MAC C22 w/8b and the sound I get is jaw-dropping. Maybe it's the new Klipsch La Scala's I just bought?

 

Well, it looks like I am going to try the McIntosh MX110 for now as it appears to be the best buy for the money. I seriously considered the VAC Auricle but it is just a little out of my price range right now. Maybe I can pick one up next year used when the price has dropped a little. I appreciate all the input that I got from everybody. Let me know if any of you know of a good deal on a nice MX110.

Thanks, Mike

 

Steve, I know that there are several different models of this preamp and I am confused as to which ones to look for. Buying something off of Ebay is a major crapshoot. Do you think I might be better off going for the VAC Auricle? I know that you have had some experience with some of the other VAC models. I really would rather have something newer that I wouldn't be fixing all the time but I want vintage sound.

Mike

 

Hey, I forgot...

Maybe Grover could cook something up.