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Pre Amp Recommendations?

7

749er

pfm Member
At the moment I am running UK made Audiolab 8000C and 2 8000M monoblocks and looking to experiment with a new to me pre amp.

I am happy to buy second hand and have a budget of £1000

current speakers are ProAc Studio 140 mk2

Sources are Simaudio MOON 300D V2 DAC and Eastern Electric DAC Supreme with Upgraded solid state and valve output stages. I should sell one of these but can never decide which one.

I listen to everything from AC/DC to opera.

be interested in your suggestions and comments particularly about the Naim preamps
 
I owned the 8000c for a while.
Can you tell me what your thoughts are in regards to its sonic signature and what you would want different in another pre amp?
 
For something different and assuming you fancy trying a few amps

Croft Micro 25R

Townsend Allegri

MiniDSP SHD

Agree with Naim 72 + PSU either HiCap or TeddyCap
 
An old Audiolab 8000Q or the TAG equivalent I think it;s the PA2 would be a good choice The Q is much better than the C

I've been happy with my 8000Q into a Quad 909 for donkeys tears speakers are Dynaudio Contour 1.3Mk2

eddie
 
749er said:
At the moment I am running UK made Audiolab 8000C and 2 8000M monoblocks and looking to experiment with a new to me pre amp.

I am happy to buy second hand and have a budget of £1000

current speakers are ProAc Studio 140 mk2

Sources are Simaudio MOON 300D V2 DAC and Eastern Electric DAC Supreme with Upgraded solid state and valve output stages. I should sell one of these but can never decide which one.

I listen to everything from AC/DC to opera.

be interested in your suggestions and comments particularly about the Naim preamps
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Linn Kolektor is quite lively sounding, nice tonality to my ears. Would be a relatively inexpensive experiment for you.
 
Curtis said:
I owned the 8000c for a while.
Can you tell me what your thoughts are in regards to its sonic signature and what you would want different in another pre amp?
Click to expand...


I can only say that in comparison to an Eastern Electric M88 I have, the 8000C soundstage is wider, deeper and better defined with instruments easy to follow. Bass is deeper, with more attack and more controlled.

On the other hand, the M88 valve amp was more musical, better with vocals and a Significantly more refined top end.

if I could blend the best of both I would be very happy
 
I have been doing a bit more research and found that the NAC112 and 202 have an AV function which allows them to be integrated into an AV system. Given my new circumstances that’s a big advantage.

anyone have any experience of unity gain with Naim or know of other pre amps which offer this?
 
749er said:
I can only say that in comparison to an Eastern Electric M88 I have, the 8000C soundstage is wider, deeper and better defined with instruments easy to follow. Bass is deeper, with more attack and more controlled.

On the other hand, the M88 valve amp was more musical, better with vocals and a Significantly more refined top end.

if I could blend the best of both I would be very happy
Click to expand...

The 8000c is pretty transparent.
It was certainly more accurate than my Croft pre amp.
Maybe you are after a bit of colour or something more refined sounding?
 
If you could get a Pure Sound L10 that would come in around 1k. Retail now for around 3k. Don’t come onto second hand market very often as they tend to be keepers. Lovely transparency and presence. Built like a tank too.
 
Woodface said:
Try a passive pre, they are cheap enough. For naim probably a 72/hicap would be a good place to start.
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Agree with this suggestion as I have a Little Bear MC2 in my system at the moment. For under £40 they are amazing.

I have read people running Naim preamps with Audiolab power amps before, general consensus being that their power amps are better than their pre’s.
 
Ridoves said:
If you could get a Pure Sound L10 that would come in around 1k. Retail now for around 3k. Don’t come onto second hand market very often as they tend to be keepers. Lovely transparency and presence. Built like a tank too.
Click to expand...
not seen a L10 in years , only a very hopeful hi fi shop on ebay trying for many months at 2k . they are very good , remote is not brilliant but amp is great
 
The Audiolab 8000Q is better than the 8000C though it lacks a phono stage, and might be the one to get if you want to keep the Audiolab sound. I once tried a well thought off Musical Fidelity preamp through Audiolab 8000P and the sound was weird, didnt like it so be careful. I have the Chinese 8000Q and 8000Ms and the sound is good only bettered by the 8200 cdq I also have
 
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