Preamp with or without streamer?

[Revolutions]

I've been starting to plan my long term system goals & need a bit of help with research/options around preamps. Thanks to some awesome advice from lovely a member here I've booked in a demo of some active speakers: ATC SMC40a. That would mean going the preamp route rather than integrated, something I've not looked too much into before.

The ATC CDA 2 got me interested as I can ditch cd player (max 10% of my listening time), reducing boxes. Unfortunately stock of that is limited in London: there are 2 ATC dealers near me & both gave me quite different options for preamp.

I thought it'd be a good idea to do some research in this area & go in to the demo a bit more aware. The breadth of features & prices across even the units below is leading me down rabbit hole after rabbit hole:

• ATC CDA 2 Mk2
• Naim NSC 2222
• Naim NAC 252
• Linn DSM
• NAD M66
• Hifi Rose RS150
• Eversolo DMP-8

So why not do some crowd sourcing to confuse things even more!

What kind of preamp should I look to? - if sound quality is my number one deciding factor, is dac/streamer/cd just going to add cost & limit my main goal?

Sources, from most used to least:

• Turntable w/ external preamp
• CD Transport (into preamp via Wiim pro plus)
• WiiM pro plus for streaming Tidal/Spotify

Budget up to £6,000

Cheers

 

[manicm]

The Eversolo DMP-A8 I would say, provided you're prepared to do some tweaking. Hifi News has just reviewed it.

But since you have that budget I would toss up between the Hifi Rose and the NAD. In either case bring your own phono preamp.

 

[Revolutions]

The Eversolo DMP-A8 I would say, provided you're prepared to do some tweaking. Hifi News has just reviewed it.

But since you have that budget I would toss up between the Hifi Rose and the NAD. In either case bring your own phono preamp.

Thanks. What do you mean by tweaking with eversolo?

Why those models? & have you listened to any of them?

 

[twinkletoes]

Back in the day I would have said a naim nac 272 it sounded fab with those speakers when I had a demo. Just didn’t have the cash to stretch that far. Don’t know if naim have replacement or not.

But even secound hand it would be something I’d look into. If it streaming smarts are dead simply add a wim pro for a new lease of life. It was a fine dac in its own right.

Naims dac v1 also might worth a look.

Somthing I’d seriously look at though would be a chord Hugo tt2.

I take it you mean 6k without the speakers?

Edit sorry I missed the phono pre So some of these options may not work.

 

[manicm]

Thanks. What do you mean by tweaking with eversolo?

Why those models? & have you listened to any of them?

The Eversolo is bright. I heard it briefly (my friend is an AV distributor). In more than one review tweaks have been done in DSP, Hifi News reduced the gain a bit although they still gave it an Outstanding rating.

It has seperate DSP/equalisation for the analogue and digital inputs.

 

[Revolutions]

Back in the day I would have said a naim nac 272 it sounded fab with those speakers when I had a demo. Just didn’t have the cash to stretch that far. Don’t know if naim have replacement or not.

But even secound hand it would be something I’d look into. If it streaming smarts are dead simply add a wim pro for a new lease of life. It was a fine dac in its own right.

Naims dac v1 also might worth a look.

Somthing I’d seriously look at though would be a chord Hugo tt2.

I take it you mean 6k without the speakers?

Edit sorry I missed the phono pre So some of these options may not work.

Yes, £6k without speakers. So that covers either the Naim NAC 252 preamp or NSC 222 streamer/pre.

The older Naim is probably a great idea, but learning from previous exploits I really want to demo everything & ask questions.

 

[Revolutions]

The Eversolo is bright. I heard it briefly (my friend is an AV distributor). In more than one review tweaks have been done in DSP, Hifi News reduced the gain a bit although they still gave it an Outstanding rating.

It has seperate DSP/equalisation for the analogue and digital inputs.

Hmm, thanks for that the info. I guess I can pop down to my local richer sounds & ask them how easy it is to get sounding good.

 

[twinkletoes]

Yes, £6k without speakers. So that covers either the Naim NAC 252 preamp or NSC 222 streamer/pre.

The older Naim is probably a great idea, but learning from previous exploits I really want to demo everything & ask questions.

I’m sure some dealers have some preowned stock somewhere

 

[manicm]

Hmm, thanks for that the info. I guess I can pop down to my local richer sounds & ask them how easy it is to get sounding good.

I've heard the Eversolo DMP A8 again, and I do like it. But I was not flippant - you can get the most value out of it by tweaking to match your amp/speaker/taste.

 

[daytona600]

Eversolo check ebay
1/2 price after a few months Chinese hifi has shocking 2nd hand values

£6k Lampizator Baltic 4

Lampizator Baltic 4 Natural Digital | The Ear

Lampizator is a small but revered Polish manufacturer whose DACs I have been impressed with at several hi-fi shows, the Baltic 4 sits on the second rung of

the-ear.net

£3k Elipson P1F Preamp with digital + analogue modules & XLR outputs for ATC

Elipson P1F & A2700 preamplifier and power amplifier

Elipson made loudspeakers, but the French brand was bought in 2010 to diversify its range. Jason Kennedy says products like this cool, clever preamp and power amplifier are the result.

hifiplus.com

 

[Revolutions]

Eversolo check ebay
1/2 price after a few months Chinese hifi has shocking 2nd hand values

£6k Lampizator Baltic 4

Lampizator Baltic 4 Natural Digital | The Ear

Lampizator is a small but revered Polish manufacturer whose DACs I have been impressed with at several hi-fi shows, the Baltic 4 sits on the second rung of

the-ear.net

£3k Elipson P1F Preamp with digital + analogue modules & XLR outputs for ATC

Elipson P1F & A2700 preamplifier and power amplifier

Elipson made loudspeakers, but the French brand was bought in 2010 to diversify its range. Jason Kennedy says products like this cool, clever preamp and power amplifier are the result.

hifiplus.com

Thanks, two interesting looking units. What do you like about them? Have you heard either?

 

[Pedro2]

https://www.facebook.com/share/9GAcfXSa9JKReBUP/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Got one of these - superb. Not sure if you’re near Sheffield but they might still have this one and it’s a good price.

 

[davidf]

Keeping a pre-amplifier and streamer separate allows you to obtain the best you can within their price range, and allows easy future upgrading without having to sell on a perfectly good pre-amplifier with an ageing streaming section.

 

[Revolutions]

Keeping a pre-amplifier and streamer separate allows you to obtain the best you can within their price range, and allows easy future upgrading without having to sell on a perfectly good pre-amplifier with an ageing streaming section.

Yeah I’m suddenly bouncing back to this idea. And the WiiM pro + has all the functionality I need.

I guess I shoot for something like the ATC CDA that removes lots of boxes, or just stick to an analogue preamp.

 

[record_spot]

Personally, wouldn't use the Wiim Pro Plus without a separate DAC - on its own, it's pretty uninspiring. I use mine with a Cambridge DACMagic 200M and it's no lie to say it's some of the best audio I've heard.

My take? Work out what you need. I opted for a switching box to manage my various sources as my actives have limited inputs for the onboard preamp. Works a treat and keeps things pretty simple, without the need for an additional box of electronics getting in the way.

 

[spl84]

Personally, wouldn't use the Wiim Pro Plus without a separate DAC - on its own, it's pretty uninspiring. I use mine with a Cambridge DACMagic 200M and it's no lie to say it's some of the best audio I've heard.

My take? Work out what you need. I opted for a switching box to manage my various sources as my actives have limited inputs for the onboard preamp. Works a treat and keeps things pretty simple, without the need for an additional box of electronics getting in the way.

I must concur... I plan on getting a new integrated amp with an inboard dac since I have planned on getting a better amp for years anyway. I would advise the op to do the same. Unless he's is dead set on separates, in which case he could get a preamp with inboard dac....