PS Audio P12 regenerator vs. PS Audio BHK Signature preamp?

I’ve been saving my nickels and dimes while also selling audio gear a long time to get to this point. (Finally it is time to pull the trigger and upgrade!) Please help me make a best decision with my next step.

Here’s my rig:

VPI Scout 1.1 turntable; 1.5m Kimber Cu TAK phono cable with Ultraplate RCAs; JMW Memorial 9T tonearm. Ortofon Quintet Black moving-coil cartridge. VPI 17F record-cleaning machine.

Parasound Halo JC3 Jr. phono preamp.

PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport. PS Audio Perfectwave DAC, mk I. AudioQuest Carbon HDMI between transport and DAC.

PS Audio Gain Cell preamp. PS Audio M700 monoblock power amps.

Buggtussel Amygdala speakers.

PS Audio Power Plant Premier, refurbished in Boulder during the summer and then the fall of 2014.

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Thank you for scrutiny of my situation and any kind advice, y’all.

 

Choosing only between those two, the preamp. It's more likely to make a noticeable difference in the sound.

 

Thank you, heathen.

Any other Forum residents able or willing to chime in about regenerator vs. preamp - which will have a larger, positive effect?

(Or, really, other perspectives on the next upgrade to my hifi rig?)

 

I'd love to upgrade to even half of your current setup. Given your investment with PS Audio, you must have some trusted contacts that might offer their advice. Are you able to audition both components and then make a decision? Without knowing more about everything, I'd also go with the preamp. Good luck!

 

That depends on whether you're unhappy with anything as is, and if so what you feel is lacking.

 

Hello, fellow Tar Heel.

And I would love to have the room size that your profile says you have to work with!

Thanks for the post,
Chaz

 

Sometimes you cannot know what you don't know. . . .

As I wrote earlier today, "My hifi sounds great, often. But could it sound better? Sure."

So how do I get my hifi to sound better, maybe LOTS better . . . while using limited resources (my upgrade money)?

Also part of the conundrum of whether one needs to upgrade - is it the source material that's suboptimal, or is it the playback gear?

Thanks for the reply, heathen.
Chaz

 

I guess my concern would just be that if you don't have a goal in mind, you may end up wasting money on marginal, or even outright unnecessary, upgrades. Can you go to one of the audio shows where you'd get to hear a lot of systems in a day or two, so you have more points of comparison?

 

I agree.

 

This probably will not be the help you are looking for but here it goes. Of the two pieces of gear that you mentioned the BHK preamp will give you the most improvement in sound, however, your current amps are relatively new and your old Power Plant premier is getting pretty out of date. However, If I had your system I would not do either of those upgrades ( the PPP has been repaired so it should last a little longer). I would trade in your old digital front end on the latest PS Audio digital front end if you can find transport (the DirectStream Memory Player which PS Audio has stopped making but you may be able to find one in dealer stock ). The DMP and the DS DAC are killer products (I use these in my system) and they sound fantastic. They will be a big improvement on your old first generation PS Audio digital gear (although it was good in its day).

 

Take the following with a grain of salt. Since I'm analogue centric I would allocate most of my funds into purchasing another table. If I was digital centric I would upgrade the digital playback as much as is feasible.

M~

 

I agree. I would update the dac.

 

+1.

 

You make an interesting point. If the OP's goal is to hear deeper into his recordings, then the DS DAC would indeed be the ticket. But if the OP's goal is adding little more warmth and tube-goodness to the sound, while not significantly increasing the resolution of the system, then the BHK preamp might be the way to go. And I think that his current transport should be more than sufficient for playing redbook CDs with the DS DAC should he decide to go that direction.

IMO the ideal choice would be to upgrade both his Pre and his DAC. However, I would actually encourage the OP to join the PS Audio forum and ask the members there where they think that he will get his biggest bang for his buck. Some of these people have already made exactly the upgrades that he is thinking about, and may have some first hand advice to share.

 

I think what you are suggesting is yet another way the OP could go. I also agree that the OP should visit the PS Audio forum. I have PS Audio gear in my system and I find that forum very useful regarding that gear. Regarding the suggestion about upgrading his TT, I have a VPI TT and I often use the VPI forum regarding my VPI TT. IMHO, I think all of these suggestions are good ones. What I think the OP needs most is a vision as to where he wants to take his system.

 

Chazz, there's a Mk II update for the PWD that was significant . . . if you can find that at a great price that's a good move. I was happy for quite a while with that duo in the main system and longer in a second system.

I also noticed a big change system wide going from the Power Plant Premier to a P5 and then P10. So I think I'd recommend the P12. (In part also because I have and value all tube preamps and wouldn't myself go for the BHK).

 

Thank you, macster - and plz realize that I own thousands of LPs but "only" hundreds of CDs.

But, have mercy, I used to own an LP12/Ittok/Karma analog(ue) rig, so I've done that TT upgrade already . . . at least, for a while.

Thanks again, Chaz

 

If you are primarily an analog guy, then upgrading your DAC doesn't make nearly as much sense for you, unless you plan to become more of a digital guy. If you do plan to be doing more digital, then the DS DAC is a killer piece which may well subjectively outperform your present analog setup.

I personally would get rid of both of your preamps, and upgrade to a really good full-featured tube preamp which includes a phono stage. As great as the BHK preamp is supposed to be, the fact that is it line-level only is a deal killer for me at that price point.

 

As do I on both counts.