Recommend tube preamp, please!

[pyonc]

As I recall, nearly every component on the circuit boards was replaced with new. These repairs were done by McIntosh engineers using McIntosh parts. The sole purpose of the Clinics was Proof of Performance, where the original specs were guaranteed. The story is that the original clinic was implemented to repair an issue in the early C20. In mine, they were chasing a distortion anomaly, and showed me the handful of replaced components at the time. I brought the C20 in without a complaint just for the testing which I'd been availing myself of for years at their invitation. If they were happy, I was happy. Would it help if I recorded it playing music with my cell phone and posted it to YouTube for you?

Yes,please!

[Mr. Widget]

Would it help if I recorded it playing music with my cell phone and posted it to YouTube for you?

Widget

[pyonc]

Tubes are cool... I have used and liked many tube preamps, but I don't believe they are inherently better than solid state....Widget

+1 In my opinion, the thing is whether you can get the sound as close as possible to the real music scene (live or recorded), be it tube or solid state.

[rusty jefferson]

I'm not a fan of most transformer coupled tube amps, but I have a friend using the Primaluna mono amps like you have with a Primaluna Prologue preamp and JBL monitors, and it sounds quite musical. They are very quiet, and seem to be reliable. You'd have to use an outboard phone stage, but little ones like the iFi Micro Phono II sound VERY good for just a couple hundred dollars.

[jblnut]

A Mac C220 would be close to your price range if you stretch a bit. It's not really a 'tube pre' in the classic sense (more like a SS pre with built in tube buffer) but it sounds really nice. Especially if you roll in your favorite vintage tubes.

I like vinyl too much to worry about the phono section in any preamp - I have two excellent outboard units I used with the C220. With 8 ins and 3 outs, you'll never run low on connectivity and it even has a remote.

Check one out...

jblnut