🏆Home Audio Awards: The BEST to Worst Preamplifier List !

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  • Опубликовано: 27 окт 2024

Комментарии • 138

  • @jaysaudiolab
    @jaysaudiolab  Год назад +7

    Please subscribe - turn on your notifications - like this video! That is the only support I need from you. Thank you!

  • @faysalriaz1312
    @faysalriaz1312 Год назад +2

    Fantastic new intro and number reveals. Such an impressive history of preamps. Your experiences are invaluable for similar buyers - and super interesting and enjoyable to everyone else. No one else will ever match this, JAY 👍

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад +1

      Thank you kindly!

    • @faysalriaz1312
      @faysalriaz1312 Год назад

      @@jaysaudiolab Your great work inspired me to pick up my dream preamp - Naim NAC 552 - an iconic unit in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. Had one owner, 2008 unit, mint, all accessories, £7.3k. And resonance stands (Quadraphonic IRAP) for everything. Sounds SO GOOD. The 552 is clearly not the best preamp in the world but performs well - has a relentless sound with never ending detail, and loads of musicality. My preamp is the heart of my system 👍

  • @jaysullivan9545
    @jaysullivan9545 Год назад +13

    Nice job Jay. Especially the synergy comments. Now, when's the reveal on the mystery DAC?

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад +4

      Soon man. I’ve been busy with my job

  • @mostirreverent
    @mostirreverent Год назад +1

    I am still enjoying my Threshold FET Ten/HL preamp, mated to a Simaudio Moon W5.3 HK RS Stereo Power Amplifier

  • @philipteater3714
    @philipteater3714 Год назад +1

    Means a lot coming from you who has a vast association with so many of the world’s best

  • @michaelmyers7416
    @michaelmyers7416 Год назад

    Superb presentation. You keep getting better. I am missed a lot of videos and will get back to picking them up overtime. Enjoy the music!

  • @jeremiahchamberlin4499
    @jeremiahchamberlin4499 Год назад +3

    Great presentation; all of these are out of my price range. You listed two McIntosh products, but didn’t say what you thought of them. I have an older two-piece solid state C100 all-analog unit which I find is dead quiet; I’ve been looking at some of their tube preamps, still plenty dear (as in ‘expensive’) to me.

    • @MasterofPlay7
      @MasterofPlay7 Год назад

      He's fishing for big fish, not small patatos

  • @DavidMiller-lk3ir
    @DavidMiller-lk3ir 5 месяцев назад +1

    You seem to like the most expensive pieces of equiptment. High dollars does not always equal great sound. I own an older Audible Illusions preamp which I think is vety good. A dealer who sells it said you would have to spend so much more to get more performance. It holds it's own

  • @richardthoreau9299
    @richardthoreau9299 4 месяца назад

    I had the Sim Audio 740p briefly but I upgraded it to the 850p which I like a lot and have had for many years now. I have found it goes well with two 860a v2 power amps in mono mode.

  • @fmc_kaya
    @fmc_kaya 9 месяцев назад

    A very valuable and priceless video, Jay.I will do my best to add Audio Research Ref 6se to my system.There's something I'm curious about.I didn't see MBL 5011 or 6010D in the list.Have you listened to these before?

  • @thomothomo1078
    @thomothomo1078 2 месяца назад

    You can buy an FM Acoustics FM155 Chinese copy for US$200.They sound superb.That is probably as good a preamp as you would need.Better than some of the $30,000 preamps I have heard.

  • @MrBonger88
    @MrBonger88 Год назад

    I know it’s the sound that counts but I just can’t get past the Dartzeel colours. Love the looks of Gryphon

  • @rrd1975
    @rrd1975 Год назад

    This is where your many years of actual owner experience comes shining through, and I can learn and benefit from it. Other reviewers will listen to components for weeks or months, and if suitably impressed may purchase them if their finances permit. This does not happen often. So far, you are the only person I know and listen to who has owned such a impressive variety of High End components. If I need to know what a particular component is doing or how reliably it performs, I'm gonna listen to the owner. Slam Dunk!

  • @daviddrake6305
    @daviddrake6305 Год назад +3

    You should try the Esoteric Grandioso Pre-Amp

  • @raykuiper4979
    @raykuiper4979 Год назад +1

    Good Evening Jay, here from Switzerland, in line with your last subject, can you give me your take on the Dan D’agostino Momentum hd? It was on your liste , but didn’t appeared on a top 5 , I ask you, because I am able to get myself this pre-amp. In advance, thank you very much. Ray

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад

      Consider my consultation service. If you’re spending this kind of money then it makes sense.

  • @AD-rl4jv
    @AD-rl4jv Год назад

    Another great video by Jay, very informative.

  • @danielzzz7232
    @danielzzz7232 Год назад +3

    Nice seeing you more upbeat in the presentation tonality overall, I appreciated it. Keep rolling, thanks!

  • @chuanyewlee9502
    @chuanyewlee9502 Год назад +3

    Great video sharing your views on the best/worst preamps you've owned. For me there are 2 preamps which stood out above others. From the yesteryears, the Cello Audio Suite and Audio Pallette preamp combination was phenomenal. While in today's world, one phono stage and preamp combination which you should give a listen to is the FM Acoustics 223 and 268.

  • @MichaelM-to4sg
    @MichaelM-to4sg Год назад +1

    Gotta say I’m shocked anyone would laude the Merrill, which I agree is quite good, though not great, while claiming the 2 Boulder’s preamps are their 2 favorites among that list.
    I’ve not heard the Boulder 2000 series, heard the entire Boulder 500 line back when you were likely a teenager and that was their highest end. Did not like them then. Had the 3010 in my home less than 2 years ago for a full week, it was supposedly “broken in”. My CAT SL1, an actual audiophile legend of a preamp, simply blew it away. Soundstage width, depth, definition, timbre. Other than a remote control, the Boulder was wholly unimpressive. Full disclosure, it was solely fed analogue source material, most my Ampex ATR-102 and a bit of vinyl using a DSAudio phono preamp. I also had no SS amps for it to drive and I had to use some borrowed Neutrik make-XLR-Female RCA adapters at all preamp connections except the tape head preamp as everything I own is RCA hookup.
    I presently have a brand new Soulution 747 phono-tape head preamp I’m demoing, supposedly the only one currently in US. Still giving it some break in time but this far it’s the best SS phono pre I’ve ever heard. It has optical input for my DS Audio cartridge and is even quieter than the DS Audio pre. Once broken in I’m going to compare it to my Manley tape head pre. If you’re a fan of Soulution, I’d speak with your dealer. I can guarantee it’s already miles better than anything from Boulder and offers inputs for MC, MI and optical cartridges 👍

    • @davidcross890
      @davidcross890 Год назад +1

      Very curious as to your outcomes???
      It really makes me think you have some really substandard bottlenecks that hampered what you thought the 3010 was doing

  • @josenebrus8183
    @josenebrus8183 Год назад

    Synergy synergy synergy 💯🎶👌 you have listening experience, a fantastic way of explaining things and a rock solid timing Jay👊 I couldn't agree with you more 💯👊👊👊 Gracias caballero 🎶💥

  • @garbisrobert4848
    @garbisrobert4848 Год назад +1

    Thank you for your effort !
    R-E-S-P-E-C-T !!! 🤗

  • @mahasidha9
    @mahasidha9 Год назад

    Would it be asking too much for a list from number 6 on down? I think it would be useful to many of us; of course synergy is important; for those of who know our systems well and want to upgrade it could go something like this, wow this preamplifier is number 11 on Jay’s list, of all the amplifiers he has owned; not too shabby, in fact high praise indeed AND I can afford it. So this would be the missing part between best and worst; I guess akin to Stereophile having Class A recommended components and Class B recommended components; maybe you could divide the list like that with some borderline Class A. The list itself is great, the ranking 1-32 would be greater. Thanks!

  • @signalfixer
    @signalfixer Год назад +1

    Jay i appreciate your Hi End reviews. Good video but you can't listen to measurements. Thats just what I learned on my personal audio journey.

  • @bingowings65
    @bingowings65 Год назад

    Jay - I'm pretty sure I've seen you on a recent Estelon extreme demo. What did you think of them. I'd really value your opinion on those speakers?

  • @a.s.2426
    @a.s.2426 Год назад

    Jay, Good video. Confused on one thing: The list of preamps at the start only has perhaps 8 or so preamps on it but you said you owned a lot more. Was that just a sampling of the ones you owned?

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад

      The list has 23 on the video. You just didn’t watch the video

    • @a.s.2426
      @a.s.2426 Год назад

      @@jaysaudiolab Sorry, you're correct. Watched the video, but somehow it seemed like fewer amps than 23 to me.

  • @meesmo4
    @meesmo4 Год назад +1

    You should try the top models from Aavik, FM Acoustics, Nagra, Burmester, Goldmund. Got a feeling Goldmund would be exposed as an absolute scam at its price point.

    • @wraspire
      @wraspire Год назад +1

      FM268 would get my vote but I don’t think European preamp will be Jay’s winner. Honestly US makes the most technologically advanced products like F22,F35, I don’t think Europe has any matching fighters. But in terms of musicality, I have to say it gonna be the Swiss products

    • @meesmo4
      @meesmo4 Год назад

      @@wraspire i personally think that Swiss products sell mostly based on its carefully crafted mystique that somehow only Swiss engineers understand musicality and not anyone else in the world. I've heard Goldmund, FM Acoustics, Nagra, and was never really impressed. Best preamp i've heard was Aavik C880, from Denmark.

    • @wraspire
      @wraspire Год назад +1

      @@meesmo4 I respect everyone’s personal preference and taste. I never like Aavik products, too clean and not emotionally engaging.

    • @henriksrensen3220
      @henriksrensen3220 Год назад

      ​@@wraspireAavik is amazing

    • @meesmo4
      @meesmo4 Год назад

      @@wraspire the new Aavik 880 series are based on Class A design, if you have the chance to hear it i think you will be surprised at its musicality

  • @Hubbman32
    @Hubbman32 6 месяцев назад

    VERY surprised by the poor showing on the Gryphon Zena! Ive heard notnhing but great things about it from those whove owned it.

  • @TheGrandPumma
    @TheGrandPumma Год назад +2

    Very Good Video Jay.
    Please do more of these. They are fun to watch

  • @artyfhartie2269
    @artyfhartie2269 Год назад +1

    I notice that kick drums on digital audio recordings have this dook, dook, dook sound which is so unnatural. Not the solid bass one hears when the beaters hits the drum on pure analog audio recordings

    • @erics9754
      @erics9754 2 месяца назад

      I hate digital with a passion and i hate solid state with a passion i call it steely state. I liked blasting booming bass and super sharp detail as a kid and was impressed by big steel boxes with how many watts more was all that mattered then I grew up and fell in love again with tubes those little glowing souls sticking out of my Joule Electras OTLs and the sound of a beautiful cartridge on a great table flowing through my big Stats.

    • @artyfhartie2269
      @artyfhartie2269 2 месяца назад

      @@erics9754 I have a vintage set up Luxman tuner, Pioneer amp and a pair of Sansui loudspeakers I picked up at a charity shop for peanuts that sounds better than my $15,000 set up in my living room. What have they done to electronics and loudspeakers I don't know

  • @dragocelander6671
    @dragocelander6671 Год назад

    What sort of shipping containers does Boulder use for their top of the line preamps? Cardboard? This post has sat unanswered by Jay for days. I guess one needs to subscribe to his premium membership consultation services to get a simple reply.

  • @audiogabby9808
    @audiogabby9808 Год назад +2

    Impressive list of preamps. Thank you for sharing Jay.

  • @brentcollins9727
    @brentcollins9727 Год назад +3

    I love your new intro Jay. It’s like we’re tuning into a weekly tv show!!!

  • @jiyadas
    @jiyadas Год назад +2

    Meh, the McIntosh C1100 is definitely in the top 5 plus it has top-notch measurement, beating most solid state pre-amps. Hi-fi News measured the distortion at just 0.00009 - 0.0005% at 1V, 20Hz-20kHz

    • @divertiti
      @divertiti Год назад +2

      Nothing McIntosh makes is top 5

    • @wraspire
      @wraspire Год назад +1

      McIntosh is like a Cadillac, no Cadillac is associated with Ultra-luxury vehicles. Sorry man

    • @jiyadas
      @jiyadas Год назад

      @@divertiti come talk to me when you have tried over 20 amps and preamps in the $20k to $45k range

    • @jiyadas
      @jiyadas Год назад +2

      @wraspire everyone has their own perception, so it's OK. Mike from Suncoast Audio liked it more than the other pre-amps on Jay's channel a few weeks back. I sure will go with his opinion than yours and he can afford anything.

    • @brentcollins9727
      @brentcollins9727 Год назад

      I can listen to my Mac MA352 all day and night. After a few minutes of demoing many other high ends, my ears start ringing from fatigue.

  • @joelowens5211
    @joelowens5211 Год назад

    What you define as neutral I would call more sterile sounding or clinically cleaner but lacks soul and realism. Not my vibe but I respect your tastes. Just like I do not like contemporary houses they seem lifeless and like in a hospital. The VAC master I feel gets the shaft here because the price range is only about 30k to 40k. The VAC statement which is on another level would be more in the range of the 70k to 80k pre-amps you put above it. YES there are alot of differences between the master and the STATEMENT. I had a list of them from Kevin who owns the company.

    • @MichaelM-to4sg
      @MichaelM-to4sg Год назад

      I agree until then he says he was blown away by the Merrill🤷‍♂️
      I personally think he’s impressed by the retail price of the Boulder products and there’s some sort of personal relationship there. I find everything I’ve heard from Boulder the last 35 years to be dry and un-engaging, but that’s me.
      I’m currently demoing a Soulution phono and tape head pre that might be the best I’ve ever heard. It’s extremely quiet but also very engaging and detailed. If I were shopping for a preamp, I’d definitely give them a try even though I’m not typically a fan of silicon based pre’s. I still don’t think anything can match my CAT SL1, thus no reason to consider anything else.
      I’ve had a number of really good pre’s the last 40 years, my 3 favorites are CJ Premier 7, Audible Illusions Modulus 3A and the CAT SL1. An hm goes to the Hovland HP100. I’d personally put any of those 4, but especially the CAT, against everyone of the pre’s on his list in a blind test and I’m betting I’d win 9/10 ballots.

  • @MrGfunk215
    @MrGfunk215 Год назад

    Be honest Jay. Are you a rep for Boulder!!?? 😂😂😂 j/k buddy (I haven’t seen a Boulder in a system in 20+ years with other brands that are 1/4 the price they are IMO (we all have them) far superior than boulders 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

  • @nasdkhan254
    @nasdkhan254 Год назад +2

    I'm looking forward to you getting rid of the Wilson Speakers.

    • @raymaksimavicius4902
      @raymaksimavicius4902 Год назад +2

      Wilsons are garbage

    • @meesmo4
      @meesmo4 Год назад

      @@raymaksimavicius4902 agree. Why not just get a Magico M9

  • @rafaell.8949
    @rafaell.8949 Год назад +1

    I really thought Gryphon commander would be as one of the top 5, why not?

    • @glichasasha750
      @glichasasha750 Год назад +1

      Because Jay wants to be the commander

    • @rafaell.8949
      @rafaell.8949 Год назад +1

      @@glichasasha750 🤣

    • @MichaelM-to4sg
      @MichaelM-to4sg Год назад

      Watch the video🤦‍♂️

    • @lorus009
      @lorus009 Год назад +1

      Did you not watch the video? If you do, you will get the answer

  • @yiqinglou1488
    @yiqinglou1488 Год назад

    Jay, which rank is the Gryphon Commander in your list

  • @allardvanderstarre5238
    @allardvanderstarre5238 Год назад

    i gave it some thought; whyno luxman? accuphase? just some thoughts....

  • @hangyan9665
    @hangyan9665 Год назад

    Maybe give a try of Naim Statement?

  • @DrBroncanuus
    @DrBroncanuus Год назад

    I always thought the power amp was all important and had the most influence on sound and the pre amp played a bit part ....am I wrong ?

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад +1

      Everything matters

    • @michaelmyers7416
      @michaelmyers7416 Год назад

      I believe you should start with the best preamp you can afford. It will make everything else downstream sound better.

  • @rickyblair8802
    @rickyblair8802 Год назад +1

    Get the 3010 back. You might have a channel to run but get it back. Don’t go backwards , that’s stupid.

  • @tothemax324
    @tothemax324 Год назад

    Try a good passive, LDR or relay type because why not 👍

    • @MichaelM-to4sg
      @MichaelM-to4sg Год назад

      The big ss amps he likes are generally very conducive to passive, especially autoformer types. Would sound great👍
      Problem is I’ve never seen one with a remote and he did a video awhile back stating he would never buy a pre that required him to get off his ass to change source or sound level 🤣🤣🤣

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Год назад

      Not a bad idea

    • @tothemax324
      @tothemax324 Год назад

      @@MichaelM-to4sg 😂

    • @tothemax324
      @tothemax324 Год назад

      @@jaysaudiolab Bespoke Audio Co, only builds passives with remote and Pursuit Perfect System has a review, these passives are high end + expensive. I tried posting links but Utube removed them with prejudice. If interested 👍

  • @johnpooley4848
    @johnpooley4848 Год назад +1

    Why not review some good speakers?......the legendary Quad 57 ESLs. None of your crazy BIG Yankee stuff here, just great sounding audio from the year 1957...the year that the Quad ESLs were released. Unbeatable for classical/ jazz and particularly for vocals. Team them up with a nice open sounding valve/tube or SS amp and a musical subwoofer and you have audio nirvana.

  • @reasoned007
    @reasoned007 Год назад

    still no mystery DAC reveal

  • @robertobrandoli4462
    @robertobrandoli4462 Год назад +1

    no Gryphon on top 5?? Wow!

  • @jeanlouispicard9501
    @jeanlouispicard9501 Год назад

    Better than boulder 3010 I tested is Ayon conquistador :)

  • @benjaminmensah5075
    @benjaminmensah5075 Год назад +1

    Jay is the definition of audio. No size!

  • @MrBohemian7
    @MrBohemian7 Год назад

    You might consider the First Sound top of the line. This guy builds only preamps by hand.

  • @ks4545
    @ks4545 Год назад

    The only experience I have with them is in my dreams...

  • @JohnLee-db9zt
    @JohnLee-db9zt Месяц назад

    Lol this guy is all about the most expensive component you can buy. The more expensive, the better, right? 😂

  • @Peter-ii4xq
    @Peter-ii4xq Год назад +1

    How many (little) people are able to buy these amps?

  • @jeanlouispicard9501
    @jeanlouispicard9501 Год назад

    Ayon conquitador is the best compare to all others. It kill audio research ref 6 and 40 I had at home….

  • @davidsmith9407
    @davidsmith9407 Год назад +1

    Jay, you REALLY need to adjust levels of the vocal inserts ("Number 5", Number 4") so that they at least come close to matching the volume level of the rest of your video. They are WAAAAY TOO LOUD!!

  • @AloishiusAbercrombie
    @AloishiusAbercrombie 8 месяцев назад +1

    Great reviews, but I have to ask… for an audio “expert” why have you allowed this video to sound so bad? Seriously, get a decent lapel mic.

  • @MrAlb3rtazzo
    @MrAlb3rtazzo 2 месяца назад

    Are ps audio really that bad ?

  • @jaredpmoser
    @jaredpmoser 3 месяца назад

    No McIntosh?

  • @erics9754
    @erics9754 2 месяца назад

    Try some good OTL tube amps Jay and use tubes in everything then buy a first-rate table with a step-up transformer a good phono pre amp tube only then you will discover good-sounding and music with life in it not a hard copy of ones and zeros. Digital is not true it does not sound like live music so I strongly disagree with you based on 50 years of being a music lover, not a gear lover.

  • @capezyo
    @capezyo Год назад +1

    And the others....?

  • @davidcross890
    @davidcross890 Год назад

    It amazes me how many commenters push hard certain specific brands that while priced high end or higher are by performance standards more mediocre audibly with jeweled up looks that some may prefer. I wish they would invest in far better design talent, circuitry, and implementation instead of C RATED DESIGN, TALENT, CIRCUITS. NOT EVERYONE IS DUPED BY THE OVERRATED OVERPRICED JEWELED UP LET DOWNS

  • @erics9754
    @erics9754 2 месяца назад

    I heard these speakers wanting to be blown away and I hated them i never liked Wilsons they always gave me a headache.

  • @jeanlouispicard9501
    @jeanlouispicard9501 Год назад

    I owned dartzeel and few others… the ayon conquistador is better in every domains !!!!!!

  • @henriksrensen3220
    @henriksrensen3220 Год назад

    Commander no 1 ,?

  • @CarlVanDoren61
    @CarlVanDoren61 Год назад

    Yawn, W4S DAC2V2SE, done 😊

  • @ataoso71
    @ataoso71 4 месяца назад

    compré el preamplificador Hestia la semana pasada, y debo decir que fue una verdadera decepción. Si vas a usar solo streaming, podría ser una opción, pero si piensas usar vinilos o cds, olvidalo. Es un verdadero pedazo de basura. No lo recomiendo bajo ningún punto de vista

  • @Coneman3
    @Coneman3 Год назад

    Audio Music missing again

  • @georgieboy2432
    @georgieboy2432 Месяц назад

    I would never buy anything from Jay's.

    • @jaysaudiolab
      @jaysaudiolab  Месяц назад

      Yes that’s because I don’t have cheap stuff for sale 👍

  • @jupitermoongauge4055
    @jupitermoongauge4055 Год назад

    Honestly, what's the point of these budget preamplifiers? If you can't afford proper audio equipment just find another hobby

    • @elitetrader5468
      @elitetrader5468 3 месяца назад

      Only wealthy people should be able to enjoy music?

    • @erics9754
      @erics9754 2 месяца назад

      @@elitetrader5468 With every passing year average folks are being priced out of everything and all pleasures in life. All thanks to rich pricks willing to pay these ridiculous prices that encourage them to keep going up. The funny thing is ego-stroking for them most are not true audiophiles they are insecure people who get their jollies on one-upmanship. The ironic thing about it is you can build a system that will give you more listening pleasure than the mega buck ones you just have to learn research and get experience in what to buy ignore the price more expensive does not equal better sound. Pick up a pair of Decware set amps or any other brand of set amps or OTLs if you can afford them and one of their preamps with a phono stage. A good preamp is the heart of a system and I believe it is even more important than the amps and speakers. Then get a good cart with a step-up transformer and a low output MC cart Koetsu sound amazing and some high sensitivity 16 ohm speakers and you will be in heaven. If you want to blast music at a party then buy some steely state stuff the people there will be too drunk to care as long as the bass is booming they will be happy.