Best Options In A Balanced Preamp Under $1500.00?

[Slapshot]

I'm in the process of helping a friend who is a music aficionado, musician and budding audiophile build his first system. As a relatively young guy, his budget is somewhat limited. He will be using a pair of Monarchy SM-70 Pro monoblocks for amplification and now needs a balanced preamp, as those amps truly need a balanced signal for optimum sound performance.

If he had a bit more to spend, I could advise him, but in this particular range of price, I'm not as well versed. What would you recommend in a used balanced preamp as his best option(s)? I say used, because I am not aware of anything in that price range that can be had new, and also to maximize his investment. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Irvrobinson]

There are pre-amps that support balanced (XLR) outputs, which may be single-ended, circuitry-wise, internally, and then there are end-to-end, fully-balanced pre-amps. If you want a fully-balanced pre-amp it's going to be expensive, even used, since Emotiva discontinued the XSP-1. If you develop a hotlist of models you're looking for and watch Audiogon carefully you can sometimes find some examples under $1500, but they're likely to be rather old products, which could develop problems in the near future, and be expensive to repair.

Frankly, I think a fully-balanced design is overkill in this price range, and I'd recommend something new and reasonably priced, like the Parasound Halo P5. The Benchmark DAC1-HDR, which I use in a very high-end system, is only $1600 brand new. The Benchmark is not a fully-balanced design, but it measures better than many fully-balanced preamps and has balanced outputs.

Unless your friend's amps are a significant distance from the preamp balanced cables will likely have inaudible benefits too. For runs of less than ten feet any single-ended RCA cables will work just fine. If he can go without balanced cables he might find the Outlaw 975 pre-pro used as a stereo pre-amp might be all he needs at $550. It apparently measures incredibly well. I use a 975 for a small AV system, and while it is a bit ergonomically challenged in the remote control, the price is right and the build quality is pretty good.

None of these suggestions are likely to compromise the sound of any amp in any audible way.

I'm sure someone will pop in here and recommend your friend buy a cheap receiver with pre-outs and use that. Not me, but I'm sure someone will.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Before Balanced Preamp and before over 2k in just amps - What speaker does your young friend has?

edit:

I'm sure someone will pop in here and recommend your friend buy a cheap receiver with pre-outs and use that. Not me, but I'm sure someone will.

I would and What exactly would be wrong with it? Assuming typical home short cable runs and few simple and cheap measure to properly ground equipment?

 

[jinjuku]

Get a Mac Get an Apogee Duet 2

BTW there isn't a $1500 pre that will blow the doors off the Apogee Duet 2. This my recommendation w/o knowing all the sources.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Get a Mac Get an Apogee Duet 2

BTW there isn't a $1500 pre that will blow the doors off the Apogee Duet 2. This my recommendation w/o knowing all the sources.

That's a pretty cool little device, but it's not exactly a practical audio component in most home systems.

 

[Slapshot]

In many circumstances, I would generally agree on there being minimal differences, if any, between using balanced and unbalanced outputs and cables. However, I have a great deal of familiarity with these Monarchy amplifiers, and have heard them both single ended and balanced in the same system. The difference was significantly in favor of the balanced approach. Here is a review echoing the same opinion (as does CC Poon, the designer, manufacturer and owner of Monarchy).

SoundStage! Equipment Review - Monarchy Audio SM-70 Pro Amplifier (2/2001)


Also, his cable runs will be ten feet, so, not quite typical, and that favors balance too.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Before Balanced Preamp and before over 2k in just amps - What speaker does your young friend has?

edit:


I would and What exactly would be wrong with it? Assuming typical home short cable runs and few simple and cheap measure to properly ground equipment?

Probably nothing audible, I just don't like AVRs, especially cheap ones. Come to think of it, I don't like expensive AVRs either. Too must complexity, too much heat, too much space, too many junky connectors on the back.

 

[Irvrobinson]

In many circumstances, I would generally agree on there being minimal differences, if any, between using balanced and unbalanced outputs and cables. However, I have a great deal of familiarity with these Monarchy amplifiers, and have heard them both single ended and balanced in the same system. The difference was significantly in favor of the balanced approach. Here is a review echoing the same opinion (as does CC Poon, the designer, manufacturer and owner of Monarchy).

SoundStage! Equipment Review - Monarchy Audio SM-70 Pro Amplifier (2/2001)


Also, his cable runs will be ten feet, so, not quite typical, and that favors balance too.

I'd ignore Wes Phillips. He claims to hear differences between cables.

I'd recommend going with the Parasound.

 

[macddmac]

Emo DC-1 if he's into digital source..also has 1 set of analog inputs.
Cheers, Mac

 

[Slapshot]

Before Balanced Preamp and before over 2k in just amps - What speaker does your young friend has?


I was fortunate enough to locate a great deal on a pair of Silverline 17.5 speakers for him, which went very cheap due to some significant cabinet scratches on each one. Thankfully, those weren't even an issue for him as his brother-in-law is a cabinet grade woodworker and has restored them beautifully.

With some careful shopping, I also landed him the Monarchy's for a mere $750.00 a pair (even after just having been gone over by Monarchy).

As you can see, he's assembling a rather nice little system on not much more than shoestring, at least in audio terms. Just needs the preamp now.

 

[ImcLoud]

Stealth DC-1 | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and monoblock amplifiers, a $500 and one of the best dac's I ever seen, very nice unit... Has 1 set of analogs but that shouldnt be an issue since I can't think of anything that wouldnt have a digi out that I would use for audio besides a table, and you can add one of these guys if he wants a table XPS-1 Phono Preamp | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and monoblock amplifi...

You can always call emo and see if they have any xsp's hanging around... but if you dont need sub control I would go with the dc1, I like the stealths remote too...

I see mac beat me to it, posted while I was typing, touche mac

 

[jinjuku]

That's a pretty cool little device, but it's not exactly a practical audio component in most home systems.

What is 'Most' home audio systems? I did pad my reply with the understanding of not knowing the source components. But if you are doing all digital on a computer I'm not sure what is problematic. I think there are even remote controls available for the Mac/iTunes.

I'm looking at what is being used and it sound's like fidelity is job #1.

 

[Slapshot]

Get a Mac Get an Apogee Duet 2
BTW there isn't a $1500 pre that will blow the doors off the Apogee Duet 2. This my recommendation w/o knowing all the sources.

Since you mention it, as an aside, I've been pondering making the jump to something like this myself because I have heard raves about the sound quality one can derive from using a Mac as a source. I have no experience in that area whatsoever though. Will any Mac laptop, even older ones, work? And is the Apogee Duet 2 all you need in addition, along with software, of course?

 

[Irvrobinson]

What is 'Most' home audio systems? I did pad my reply with the understanding of not knowing the source components. But if you are doing all digital on a computer I'm not sure what is problematic. I think there are even remote controls available for the Mac/iTunes.

I'm looking at what is being used and it sound's like fidelity is job #1.

Sorry, I was just reacting to the owner buying "audiophile amps", which I interpreted as an indicator that the question was about a more classic type of component.

 

[PENG]

I'm in the process of helping a friend who is a music aficionado, musician and budding audiophile build his first system. As a relatively young guy, his budget is somewhat limited. He will be using a pair of Monarchy SM-70 Pro monoblocks for amplification and now needs a balanced preamp, as those amps truly need a balanced signal for optimum sound performance.

If he had a bit more to spend, I could advise him, but in this particular range of price, I'm not as well versed. What would you recommend in a used balanced preamp as his best option(s)? I say used, because I am not aware of anything in that price range that can be had new, and also to maximize his investment. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I think (not totally sure, its a while back) I paid under 1,500 for my Cambridge Audio, according to their tech support it is a fully balanced design from beginning to end.

 

[jinjuku]

Sorry, I was just reacting to the owner buying "audiophile amps", which I interpreted as an indicator that the question was about a more classic type of component.

I don't worry about such contrivances. Often times it's something that the end user may not want to hear due to preconceived notions. But other times it gets them looking at something that normally wouldn't be on their radar.

The bottom line is it's hard to take a pot shot at Apogee and not look stupid in the process. Their pedigree is without question.

 

[Irvrobinson]

The bottom line is it's hard to take a pot shot at Apogee and not look stupid in the process. Their pedigree is without question.

You're calling me stupid?

 

[jinjuku]

You're calling me stupid?

Certainly not. Not sure how that would even be intuited given my post. And even agreeing with your sentiment of:

Sorry, I was just reacting to the owner buying "audiophile amps", which I interpreted as an indicator that the question was about a more classic type of component.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Certainly not. Not sure how that would even be intuited given my post. And even agreeing with your sentiment of:

Sorry, I was just reacting to the owner buying "audiophile amps", which I interpreted as an indicator that the question was about a more classic type of component.

Peace. I will try to be more vigilant about potentially misunderstanding you in the future.

 

[jinjuku]

Since you mention it, as an aside, I've been pondering making the jump to something like this myself because I have heard raves about the sound quality one can derive from using a Mac as a source. I have no experience in that area whatsoever though. Will any Mac laptop, even older ones, work? And is the Apogee Duet 2 all you need in addition, along with software, of course?

Using core audio on the Mac is the way to go, if going Mac. The Apogee is Universal Driver on Mac so just plug the thing in and go.

Again the SQ on the Apogee Duet 2 is beyond reproach. I don't care if it's a $2500 Ayre being compared to.