Preamplifier woes

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

This is turning out to be a real PITA...probably won't get a lot of help here, but w/e.

Because I'm sitting so close to pretty high efficiency speakers, any sort of noise or sonic grunge is going to find its way into the final sound...and my Rogue Audio 66 does impart a little bit of "grunge" in the form of a hiss. Cleaned the tube pins, lifted the grounds, still does it - it's definitely not a grounding issue. So I'm looking for a preamp that, well, doesn't do anything to the sound //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

I figured EhRon can help with this a little, I'm sort of thinking about a Rotel RC-1070...my requirements for a preamp is that it be:

- quiet, don't want to hear any increase in the noise floor

- remote volume

- balance control a must, not dual stepped attenuators

- under $800

Any suggestions? The Parasound P3 looks a little...tacky to me. Rotel gear looks much cleaner //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

Click to read more...

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

You need to give me your Rogue, then figure everything else out. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I couldn't help you any as I don't pay any attention to home audio equipment.

Though I will say that that's one of the disadvantages to high efficiency drivers. Little imperfections are extremely audible.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Damn us and our love of high efficiency drivers.

Good luck in your search.

Other than that, I'm useless.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

You need to give me your Rogue, then figure everything else out. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

It's yours for free, plus a $700 handling charge //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Hmmm bad *** two channel solid state pre-amp under $800.... Give me a little bit to do some looking/thinking/reading... Off the top of my head, I would say the Rotel would be pretty good. However, the hiss might just be amp gain... Unless it's really bad then it could be something else. Are you using valve amps too? Or just pre?

Crazy kids and their tubes..... LOL

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Are you using valve amps too?

SV811's running single ended (my avatar image //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif). They have a little residual hum just as part of their design, but it's almost inaudible. I can actually hear the hiss starting as the Rogue warms up.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

It's yours for free, plus a $700 handling charge //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif

Naaa, I'm upgrading to QSC amps for that price otherwise I would think about it.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

That thing runs 12AU7's right? What flavor are they and how old?

Anyway, check some of these links out....

Heard the B&K sounds GOOD, but never heard that model of Outlaw but have heard others.

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/970.html

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html

http://www.rotel.com/products/specs/rc1070.htm

http://www.bkcomp.com/preamp_tuner_wesay.asp

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

That thing runs 12AU7's right? What flavor are they and how old?

Right now, just new production Electro Harmonix's. I had NOS Mazda's in there, but the pins were discolored and dirty. I have a set of British-made Mullards from the '60s, NOS, but I don't want to put hours on a $100 set of tubes if I'm really not going to be happy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

Right now, just new production Electro Harmonix's. I had NOS Mazda's in there, but the pins were discolored and dirty. I have a set of British-made Mullards from the '60s, NOS, but I don't want to put hours on a $100 set of tubes if I'm really not going to be happy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

True that man.... I feel your pain...

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

The Outlaw and B&K look really promising...will be doing more research on this in the next month or so, need to get a working analog source first //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[thylantyr 10+ year member]

Reduce your Rogue gain. {made a funny there -> Rogaine as in hair growth liquid}

Got a 66 schematic?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Nope, don't have a schematic //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[thylantyr 10+ year member]

Nope, don't have a schematic //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Call them up and ask them that you want to reduce the gain,

see what their reaction is on how to do the mod.

 

[kngadrok 10+ year member]

Right now, just new production Electro Harmonix's. I had NOS Mazda's in there, but the pins were discolored and dirty. I have a set of British-made Mullards from the '60s, NOS, but I don't want to put hours on a $100 set of tubes if I'm really not going to be happy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

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