s/h pre-amp in the <£200 range ??

lo folks, about time i started my own thread


i'm going to be looking around for a new pre-amp, and looking to spend less than 200 squids i'm thinking Rotel, mainly because it'll be used with an RB-956AX poweramp, but anything that would compliment the Rotel power' would be looked at.


so feel free to help steer my onto the right course

 

If it's Rotel your after......

http://forum.hifichoice.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=8801

 

cheers voodoo. i found another RC-971 on fleabay and it looks like i'm going to get it *looks nervously at clock* only 5 mins left on it.

oh well, looks like 2 impulse buys in as many days *shudders* the upgraditus is getting worse.


[edit] *sigh of relief* outbid at the last possible second, not even enough time to put another bid up... reminds me why i've never used fleabay.

going to sit back and take my time now

[edit2] any more suggestions would be welcome

 

You could try one of thoes Creek obh??? pre amps,has limited inputs,and acts just as a volume dial,also you could consider the Audiolab 8000C.

 

had a look at the 8000C, mission control come in far too much going on in that thing.

[edit: de-waffled this sentence ] all i'm looking for in a pre-amp is a volume control, 3 line-ins & a tape loop. that's all i need


RC-971's seem to be common as muck, had an offer from a peep on ebay to buy his for what i bid on the other one, and haven't heard back from eagle (see voodoo's link) about his...

looks like it's top of my list right now, and for 80 squids, looks to be good VFM

 

You might be able to get a used Naim NAC 62 or similar for that money.

 

I don't think the 8000C is very good.




There, I've said it.


I gues the Rotel's are the obvious candidates but I don't have any experience of them myself.

Can you not (just possibly) go higher? There are some good s/hand ones around £400

 

If you're handy with a soldering iron it may be worth having a go building a passive pre. World Audio Design do one, the PAS II:

http://www.worldaudiodesign.co.uk/amplifiers.html

(Scroll to the bottom of the page)

You should be able to pick up a secondhand Rothwell Indus for that sort of money, another well-regarded passive pre.

-- Ian

 

I saw a michell argo going for £150? on hififorsale.....musical fidelity the preamp? older pioneers are quite good, check out the c-73 or c-90 if they come up.

most of the british makers too.....just look out for them...

 

Ian, passive pres (using resistive attenuation) are OK but they require some caveats: the impedance mismatches they inevitably cause can be a serious problem, also, you need to be very careful in selecting the right ICs and make them as short as possible.

The passive pres that really work are ones that use autoformers/transformers to do the volume control. However, even that would not be an option in the <£200 range as the the transformers themselves are close to that price, let alone the rest of the pre!

I've been researching passive pre's a bit recently and have in fact bought one (won't have it until mid-March) but I wasn't going to post about it until I got it but this is the 2nd reference to it I've made today so it looks like I will be starting a thread

Michael.

 

Impedance matching is an issue, but AFAIK Rotel integrateds have a passive preamp section (may be wrong about this, but I recall reading about it somewhere), so there should be no in-principle problem with a Rotel power amp.

I've heard a DIY one, and it's certainly one approach, and one a lot of DIYers are very keen on, but it's not the only one that works (I've been doing some research on this as well, probably going to build me one to go with a Leak Stereo 20 I bought last week...)

What did you buy, btw?

Edit: Ah, I see from your other thread. I've heard good things about these.

-- Ian

 

Hmm...I don't know if that necessarily follows but you may well be right.

Michael.

 

I'd be VERY careful about an offer like that; it is I believe a common eBay scam. Stick to buying through auctions, from sellers with good feedback and who respond to questions and you're on much safer ground.

Oh, and FWIW, I wouldn't be desperately keen to reccommend an 8000C either (although what excessive features it has for you I can't imagine, it's pretty standard). Unless your current system is very warm sounding the 8000C's very clean, clear, sometimes brash sound is probably not for you.

Martin

 

yeah, that's the main reason i've stayed away from fleabay. not to wory, i politely declined his offer

about the 8000C, what i meant was, it looks a bit 'busy' a power switch and two turney things are all i really need and no need for a phono stage. regardless, it's been struck off the list.

i think the plan for now will be to see what this rotel is like & if i'm not happy with it i can sell it on again for what i payed for it.


cheers guys.

 

try this....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3076207634&category=3280

plenty of bells and whistles, just noticed its the wrong volts

 

A stepdown transformer is only about £35 from Maplins, no problems.

Also if passives should drive long cables then I wonder how mine managed 17m interconnects?