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What Half-width Preamp to Avondale power amp

What Half-width Preamp to Avondale power amp

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Viktor

Well-Known Member
Dear friends,
One quick question for you...
I sold my Grad 1 (by Avondale) preamp months ago. Right now I'm about to buy a new preamp to my Avondale (modded NAP250, probably NCC200 modules).
The preamp has to be
- half-width
- have a remote.
- without DAC
What would be not so miles down to Grad 1?
My 1st two options were Cyrus and Chevron audio Paradox. I've also considered Nuforce p8 if found on the market.
I'd appreciate any help from the forum members,
Thanks in advance
Viktor
 
The Cyrus sounds nothing like the Avondale and I would go so far as to say that if you really like one you won’t like the other.
 
Never thought about Bel Canto... would be fine to try.
Schiit may be nice though, specially in my case (my source is Yggy)... I haven't considered it because of the valves. However, it only has 180-Ohms output impendance. I was a bit afraid of those higher values of output impendance, too. Naim and Exposure units have all much lower values.
Anybody out there with experience with new Exposure XM series?
 
Having used Cyrus in the past I must agree they are nothing special. The older models are tweakable and can be improved by replacing the 3 pin regs with Jung boards.
Im looking for a balanced pre at the moment, looked at schitt Freya + but the balanced output impedance is 600 Ohms in their spec. In my younger days this was what I was used to with Audio transmission circuits, not amplifier outputs. Ill drop them an email.
I would get the lowest output impedance. Recently removed the output attenuator from circuit on my Benchmark DAC2 to reduce the output impedance to 60 ohms (from 425 ohms balanced, + I had to reduce my amp gain!). The SQ improvement was very noticeable.
Im not familiar with Naim or Avondale.
Keep us posted
 
I had a Chevron, nothing special compared to Avondale 102.
I have the same quest, I've always resisted Grad 1 as I like a remote (TV through Hi-fi it's a must), so I'm on a vague quest of finding remote controlled passive (Missed a Khozmo last month) with a view of adding Avondale gain stage.
 
Viktor said:
Never thought about Bel Canto... would be fine to try.
Schiit may be nice though, specially in my case (my source is Yggy)... I haven't considered it because of the valves. However, it only has 180-Ohms output impendance. I was a bit afraid of those higher values of output impendance, too. Naim and Exposure units have all much lower values.
Anybody out there with experience with new Exposure XM series?
Click to expand...

sadly the bc pre amp is no longer made but its very good , especially the vbs version . the saga comes in 2 versions now . one with and one without valves . very good vfm

https://www.schiit.co.uk/preamps/Saga_S
 
Up to this point I'm somehow diverted away from Cyrus, leaning more towards Chevron and Schiit. My choice would ideally be NAC82 (NAC282 is kinda too pricey and I already have a Hicap) but it would take too much space on the shelves (especially with both PSUs). I came across one add in which the seller of Chevron actually replaced his own NAC282! Wow, that would have supposed to be really good...
 
He’s recently stopped making new ones but there’s a few floating around in the used market. He’ll obviously still service and maintain the kit. IIRC, TP stopped making them only because there wasn’t enough profit in them...
 
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