Best "modern vintage" amps and preamps

tomlinmgt

tomlinmgt

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
you've spent time with. Mid-eighties to 2000. Tube or SS. Try to restrict it to the standout performers. For instance, I have an Aragon 8008 that is an amazing amp, but my Threshold S/300 edges it out in most categories so I'll restrict my offering to that unit. And also try to limit your suggestions to units you've owned or had more than a single listening session with, but if you heard something extraordinary in a single listening session then go ahead and tell about it. Not looking for "best ever" necessarliy, but rather case by case observations with perhaps a comparison to another unit as a qualifier, as I did with the Aragon.

- Michael
 
Last edited:
Wow. Almost seventy views and not a single one of you has a favorite modern vintage amp or preamp worth mentioning? :headscrat
 
There are a number of Threshold models but I especially like the T-100 and T-200. Klyne preamps of that era are excellent as well, SK-5 and SK-6.
 
The Pass Aleph 30 would be my pick. And is...drives my Quad 63s in one of my two systems. A sound that has everything I like between the typical signatures of tube/solid state without really sounding like either one exactly. It just barely makes the cut, being from around 2000.
 
My preamp choices are:
SS:
Aragon Aurum - Wonderful presentation with a totally black background.
Arc SP14 - Hybrid with tube phono section. Very nice soundstage with not quite as black a noisefloor as the Aragon.
Tube:
ARC LS15 - Tubes with speed, resolution, and ultra low noise floor! Currently in Play.
Regards,
Jim
 
SS preamp is the ARC LS-3 as guiller mentioned and PSE studio V power amps are the best amps I have direct experience with.
 
I auditioned a lot of gear in the 1990s, when I had the budget to do major upgrades to my system, and ended up buying from Audio by Van Alstine. Frank's preamps and amps played way above their price points and delivered neutral, musical sound quality. I'm using an Omega II 240 power amp, built into a NOS Dynaco ST-150 chassis in 1992, and an Omega III preamp that I bought as a kit and installed in a Dynaco PAT-5 chassis around 1996. Both components are still working perfectly and still giving me a great deal of musical enjoyment, so I'm in no hurry to upgrade.
 
I would also have to give a nod to the ARC LS3 preamp, I used it with an ARC D130 power amp for many years, and this combo while all solid-state did the business for me, and had I not needed to downsize things, would be still running it to this day. Can't say I have much to really compare it to either, just an enjoyable combo to my ears. Tim
 
I'm really curious about the ARC LS-3 now. My two preamps are from the '90s. An McCormack TLC-1 Deluxe passive, and Klyne 6L. They replaced a current Marantz Reference SC-11s1. The Klyne especially is a fantastic preamp, with one of the better, and most adjustable, phono stages that I've heard. The options for gain, loading, and a high frequency contour for MC cartridges is a bit mind boggling.
 
That's a terribly hard question to answer given my limited experience to true high end but I'll put forth what I know for sure. The best modern-vintage preamp I've had in my house in my VTL 2.5 with Mullards and Amperex tubes and the best amp(s) have been my Aragon Palladiums both by pretty solid margins. I think both are right around the late 90s to early 00s if I'm not mistaken.
 
Hard to beat the Klyne too though John, nice piece for sure. The worst part of the LS3 for me was the warmup time from cold, seemed to take forever, and the D130 for that matter too. I always just left them on though for the most part. The LS3 is just a simple preamp, gets out of the way and lets the music do its stuff, and so reasonably priced these days. Tim
 
JohnVF said:
I'm really curious about the ARC LS-3 now. My two preamps are from the '90s. An McCormack TLC-1 Deluxe passive, and Klyne 6L. They replaced a current Marantz Reference SC-11s1. The Klyne especially is a fantastic preamp, with one of the better, and most adjustable, phono stages that I've heard. The options for gain, loading, and a high frequency contour for MC cartridges is a bit mind boggling.
Click to expand...

We should have traded for awhile, I have more than a little desire to try out one of the renowned Klyne preamps. That LS3 is a killer preamp.
 
Damn that LS3....haunting me again!

Backstory....several weeks ago Evan gave me first shot at his clean and mean LS3.... and for a sweet price, I might add. I hem-hawed then bugged out. Wouldn't you know it, since then I've seen it given props more than any single piece discussed recently here in the halls of AK. :twak:

Yeah, go ahead, laugh it up, Evan.
 
240sx4u said:
We should have traded for awhile, I have more than a little desire to try out one of the renowned Klyne preamps. That LS3 is a killer preamp.
Click to expand...

That would have been fun! The Klyne was out of the system here for about 6 months while I ran the Accuphase in the main system but I've been using it since I moved about 2 weeks ago, with the T+A amp...very nice combo. I can drive the T+A directly with the Berkeley Alpha DAC but I prefer running the Alpha flat-out, using the Klyne to control volume. It's a very dynamic and transparent preamp. Much more musical and lively than the Marantz that it replaced, which was too "friendly". Everything sort of got smoothed over. The McCormack does a bit of that, but is just really open and not-there. Plus I like the feel of the volume knob of the McCormack more than any I've used. An odd thing, but everybody seems to notice it, who's used it.
 
tomlinmgt said:
Damn that LS3....haunting me again!

Backstory....several weeks ago Evan gave me first shot at his clean and mean LS3.... and for a sweet price, I might add. I hem-hawed then bugged out. Wouldn't you know it, since then I've seen it given props more than any single piece discussed recently here in the halls of AK. :twak:

Yeah, go ahead, laugh it up, Evan.
Click to expand...

:) If it makes you feel better there is a variation with remote out there!

JohnVF said:
That would have been fun! The Klyne was out of the system here for about 6 months while I ran the Accuphase in the main system but I've been using it since I moved about 2 weeks ago, with the T+A amp...very nice combo. I can drive the T+A directly with the Berkeley Alpha DAC but I prefer running the Alpha flat-out, using the Klyne to control volume. It's a very dynamic and transparent preamp. Much more musical and lively than the Marantz that it replaced, which was too "friendly". Everything sort of got smoothed over. The McCormack does a bit of that, but is just really open and not-there. Plus I like the feel of the volume knob of the McCormack more than any I've used. An odd thing, but everybody seems to notice it, who's used it.
Click to expand...

Hindsight is always 20/20. :)

The LS3 smoothed out nothing. It was brutally revealing (in a good way IMO). My amps are a bit on the warm side so I think they were a good match.
 
And also balanced output version as well! Nah, that ARC LS3 isn't that good.....nudge-nudge, wink-wink!

The remote versions seem to be as rare as hens teeth though, think ARC only made like 3 of them....well maybe a few more, but probably not many. More than likely those that have them, keep them. Tim
 
I never heard the ARC LS-3 but owned an LS-2B MK II for six years. That's an all-time record for a preamp residing in my system.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

tomlinmgt
Got a modern amp and pre...I think I'm more or less done with vintage electronics
2 3
Replies
52
Views
4K
tomlinmgt
tomlinmgt
JonL
Tube vs. SS, Preamps & amps, vintage & newer, Mid-fi and high end...
2 3
Replies
55
Views
3K
JonL
JonL
Fishead
How to set VTA for best performance.....what is "Right?"
2 3 4
Replies
64
Views
3K
Sandstrom
Sandstrom
Audible Nectar
HT shipwrecked.......newer Mc Home Theater preamps with vintage Mc amps.....and other questions.
3 4 5
Replies
93
Views
2K
Snappahead
S
N
  • Poll
Poll: Best looking receiver family.
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
Arkay
Arkay
Back
Top Bottom