Please - a list of not-new outstanding preamps.

treesey

Well-known member
All recommendations please being 2nd hand, so I can get better for my budget... which can vary, which isn't helpful I know.... let's say 500-1000.

I would like a new-to-me amplifier - something that should be a strong base around which I can create a better system.
Would be nice with a phono input, but not critical.

So I can either buy a well regarded integrated, say Arcam A39, Roksan something or Rega Elicit (if I can find one for sale), or, and here you can help with a list of outstanding preamps from the last 15 years that I can add a power amp or two over time. I have a few old things I can use as a power amp in the meantime, so don't worry about that.

Are the older Linns worth getting? Wakonda Kairn Kolektor Majik (any to use as preamp) and yes I know they vary with phono input or not.

Musical Fidelity integrated or separate pre?

It's too open a question to get anything useful from a 'search'.

Don't worry about recommendations being your favourite and my ears may vary.

Thanks in anticipation.
 
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All recommendations please being 2nd hand, so I can get better for my budget... which can vary, which isn't helpful I know.... let's say 500-1000.

I would like a new-to-me amplifier - something that should be a strong base around which I can create a better system.
Would be nice with a phono input, but not critical.

So I can either buy a well regarded integrated, say Arcam A39, Roksan something or Rega Elicit (if I can find one for sale), or, and here you can help with a list of outstanding preamps from the last 15 years that I can add a power amp or two over time. I have a few old things I can use as a power amp in the meantime, so don't worry about that.

Are the older Linns worth getting? Wakonda Kairn Kolektor Majik (any to use as preamp) and yes I know they vary with phono input or not.

Musical Fidelity integrated or separate pre?

It's too open a question to get anything useful from a 'search'.

Don't worry about recommendations being your favourite and my ears may vary.

Thanks in anticipation.
To my mind it's going to depend on the 'old things I can use as a power amp'.
Depending on what they may be I would be looking at preamps from the same manufacturer
 
No - honest - I'll get a power amp to match.

This is an opportunity to tell me your favorites. Quality recommendations.

Or just as valid - experience of poor preamps.
The best I have owned was the Tom Evans Vibe, however it has no phono stage and not obtainable for your budget..
Before this I used a Primare pre/power combo but this preamp would also be outside your budget.
To be frank with your budget I would be looking at a decent integrated rather than paying extra for two enclosures and power supplies.
 
Which one please, if you recommend it?
Primare Pre30, going here for £890.... Note no phono stage but you should have enough in your budget to buy a half-decent external one.....
 
Thanks.

Did you compare with the integrated (at the time) or were you already down the path of pre and power?
There's a place for pre / power combinations but if you're on a restricted budget it is perhaps best avoided. buying two boxes when the manufacturers normally release an integrated at the same time often doesn't make sense.
It starts to make sense when you intend to purchase a preamp and two monoblocks......
 

treesey

Well-known member
....or already have a power amp, and will upgrade it when funds allow, allowing a leap up over an integrated that costs about the same as the preamp alone.

Sorry if my questions are poorly constructed - they sound clear in my own head :D
 
D

Deleted member 160668

Guest
....or already have a power amp, and will upgrade it when funds allow, allowing a leap up over an integrated that costs about the same as the preamp alone.

Sorry if my questions are poorly constructed - they sound clear in my own head :D
I am specifically avoiding your question in the stream.

What power amp(s) do you have please?

Your question seems a bit scatty to me... What pre's? I might add a power, then upgrade, or I could go integrated -eh?!

FWIW you mention A39 and Linn - I've owned a Majik and briefly a Kairn and LK140 combo, also an A39, the Arcam wins it imo.

However, I'd like to know what power you want to connect a recommended pre to. Also, as AI says, with a restricted budget, go for a decent integrated. A decent integrated will do you very well indeed.
 
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treesey

Well-known member
OK - I don't have a restricted budget, but I only want to spend (say) up to 1000 GBP right now.

I can either get an integrated, or get a preamp, for the same money, that I imagine should be a level higher than the same price integrated.

I already have things that are or can be used as power amps, for a period of time, and naming them might influence the preamps you recommend.... I don't want that influence, as am happy to add a matching power amplifier 'later'.

I just would like a list of quality pre-amps, that I can add into my considerations.
 
OK - I don't have a restricted budget, but I only want to spend (say) up to 1000 GBP right now.

I can either get an integrated, or get a preamp, for the same money, that I imagine should be a level higher than the same price integrated.

I already have things that are or can be used as power amps, for a period of time, and naming them might influence the preamps you recommend.... I don't want that influence, as am happy to add a matching power amplifier 'later'.

I just would like a list of quality pre-amps, that I can add into my considerations.
Sell all your bits and buy a decent integrated...... Purely my suggestion. :)
 
I didn't compare with an integrated, and if you're buying 2nd hand (as I did), the opportunity to demo isn't really there.

I think pre/power gives a little more transparency than an integrated, but that's based upon limited experience - and the top step of MF's amp range is the Nu Vista, which is....an integrated. Go figure.

The nice think about buying 2nd hand is that provided you don't pay a silly price, you should be able to move it on without much loss if it doesn't work for you.
 
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