looking for a good pre-amp

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reaperx40

Audiophyte
hello all, im looking for a good pre-amp that has dual balanced out,xlr preferred. i am just starting on buying my components for a killer system so far just got the dac which is a denafrips pontus 2...want the dual balanced so i can hook up a head amp as well..as i do have decent hadphones...thanks
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
1. What are you looking for? A stereo or a multi-channel preamp, if so how many channels?
2. Why would you need balanced interconnects? Balanced connections are not necessary for most people unless long cable lengths are involved.
 
R

reaperx40

Audiophyte
ah sorry yes 2 channel,but for one the amp i am planning on has balanced in only,and the just to keep continuity want to use balanced on head amp also,also i already have the cables,which were a bit expensive lol
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
opps, appears to have only single balanced out. :eek:
 
mono-bloc

mono-bloc

Senior Audioholic
Really it comes down to your budget in the end. You can spend a couple of thousand, for something like Rotel, or NAD, or sky high prices for something special /
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
reaperx40 said:
ah sorry yes 2 channel,but for one the amp i am planning on has balanced in only,and the just to keep continuity want to use balanced on head amp also,also i already have the cables,which were a bit expensive lol
Click to expand...
What is the input sensitivity of your power amplifier? There are a few good two-channel preamps and some which sell for ridiculous prices as well.

You have to make sure that the output capacity of the preamp is high enough to drive the power amps input sensitivity to reach rated output.

The Parasound P6 and the Rotel RC 1572 Mk II might be good contenders at reasonable prices. I repeat that both preamp and power amp have to match output-input wise for acceptable results.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Audioholic Jedi
reaperx40 said:
hello all, im looking for a good pre-amp that has dual balanced out,xlr preferred. i am just starting on buying my components for a killer system so far just got the dac which is a denafrips pontus 2...want the dual balanced so i can hook up a head amp as well..as i do have decent hadphones...thanks
Click to expand...
The Quad Artera has balanced outputs, and would be a good choice. It also has an xlr line input, so you can stay balanced all the way if you want. The Quad unit seems in line with the quality of the rest of your rig.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
More info about what gear you want to connect to the pre-amp would be helpful. You want overkill like the dac?
 
mono-bloc

mono-bloc

Senior Audioholic
TLS Guy said:
Yes, it seems he is looking for top line, like that DAC.
Click to expand...
Denafrips pontus 2.is a nice sounding DAC but it's hardly top shelf, They retail here in OZ for close to 3 grand. Which is an average cost.Lets not talk dCS or CS Precision. I had a lend / borrowed Mytek Brooklyn here for a while, then it had to be returned. Retails for $2295 in the USA But well over three grand in OZ. Importing anything at the moment with the exchange rates as low as they are is horrendous, The UK and Europe are a far better bet. And there's not problem with low US voltages
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
mono-bloc said:
Denafrips pontus 2.is a nice sounding DAC but it's hardly top shelf, They retail here in OZ for close to 3 grand. Which is an average cost.Lets not talk dCS or CS Precision. I had a lend / borrowed Mytek Brooklyn here for a while, then it had to be returned. Retails for $2295 in the USA But well over three grand in OZ. Importing anything at the moment with the exchange rates as low as they are is horrendous, The UK and Europe are a far better bet. And there's not problem with low US voltages
Click to expand...
Still a silly cost for a dac these days.
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
We still don't know the sensitivity of the loudspeakers which will eventually be used in the system.

Usually, it's preferable to have an idea about the speakers to be connected. Otherwise, the chosen power amplifier may not be powerful enough to adequately drive low sensitivity or hard to drive low impedance speakers.

An excellent amplifying system at reasonable cost is the Benchmark HPA4 preamp with the AHB2 power amp. It requires medium to higher sensitivity speakers.
benchmarkmedia.com

Benchmark HPA4 Headphone / Line Amplifier

Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. and THX, Ltd. have partnered to introduce the Benchmark HPA4 headphone/line amplifier featuring THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (AAA™) technology. Featuring the flagship THX-888 amplifier design, the revolutionary HPA4 headphone amplifier incorporates the same...
benchmarkmedia.com benchmarkmedia.com

benchmarkmedia.com

Benchmark AHB2 Power Amplifier

Benchmark's new AHB2 Power Amplifier - "The Quietest, Cleanest Audio Amplifier on the Planet"
benchmarkmedia.com benchmarkmedia.com
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Audioholic Jedi
lovinthehd said:
Top line in terms of functionality? Spec? Or just cost?
Click to expand...
Take your pic! The Quad though has balanced in and out. Also Quad carries a three year warranty. I can not see where it is made. I suspect China, but on the back it says Huntingdon England. It is possible they are assembling those units in Huntingdon again. Nowhere does it say it is made in China. Quad has been owned by the International Audio Group out of China for some years. There have been rumors of return to at least some manufacture to Huntingdon, but I can't confirm that. I do know the design team is still in Huntingdon. I would think that unit would check all the boxes, and the specs follow AES standards exactly. It has a full professional specification, and for a unit with those specs, the price is commensurate.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Audioholic Jedi
Verdinut said:
We still don't know the sensitivity of the loudspeakers which will eventually be used in the system.

Usually, it's preferable to have an idea about the speakers to be connected. Otherwise, the chosen power amplifier may not be powerful enough to adequately drive low sensitivity or hard to drive low impedance speakers.

An excellent amplifying system at reasonable cost is the Benchmark HPA4 preamp with the AHB2 power amp. It requires medium to higher sensitivity speakers.
benchmarkmedia.com

Benchmark HPA4 Headphone / Line Amplifier

Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. and THX, Ltd. have partnered to introduce the Benchmark HPA4 headphone/line amplifier featuring THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (AAA™) technology. Featuring the flagship THX-888 amplifier design, the revolutionary HPA4 headphone amplifier incorporates the same...
benchmarkmedia.com benchmarkmedia.com

benchmarkmedia.com

Benchmark AHB2 Power Amplifier

Benchmark's new AHB2 Power Amplifier - "The Quietest, Cleanest Audio Amplifier on the Planet"
benchmarkmedia.com benchmarkmedia.com
Click to expand...
He is looking for a preamp, and so the speakers are irrelevant.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Audioholic Jedi
lovinthehd said:
Eh? Codgeritis setting in yet again?
Click to expand...
May be for you not me! His post says looking for a good preamp, and he mentions a head amp in his post. He says nothing about speakers, and a preamp would only drive active speakers. In any case the question of speakers has no relevance to the OP's post. No codgeritis here this time, next I can't say.
 
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