tube preamp with Sunfire amp

[repman]

Can I get some help over here

I am looking to upgrade my preamp for 2 channel listening only and am considering a tube preamp instead of a solid state preamp

I use a Sunfire 5 channel amp with Sequel II 's biamped

I am curious if anyone uses a tube preamp with a Sunfire now or has heard such a combination and opinions on the sound

I would look to get a used CJ or similar preamp

Thanks for any thoughts or opinions

Larry

 

[DTB300]

Eknuds01 (Erik) uses an ARC Pre Amp (LS-2???) with a Sunfire Amp and Aerius speakers. He use to own a Yamaha as his pre and the change was significant in terms of improvement in sound quality across the board. It has been awhile since this get together so it is hard for me to pinpoint exact differences. But the change was definitely for the better. There are many other companies to choose from which others have been happy with as you mentioned CJ as option for you.

 

[wink]

If you can find a Sunfire tube pre-amp, it's a match made in heaven. It's a two channel pre so they didn't have a big enough draw to keep producing it. Heard the pair with ML's many times and it was amazing..

Good luck

Dan

 

[Cherian]

If you are looking for a great CJ tube pre then look on audiogon for a CJ ACT 2. I saw one last night going for less than $5k or best offer. I have one and I will say this is the best pre I have owned. Not sure if this is too rich for your blood.

I just love the CJ ML combo.

 

[wink]

Here's one!

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1243095311&/Sunfire-Classic-Tube-preamp-wi

 

[repman]

Thanks for all the responses guys

I will try and make a deal on the Sunfire & keep it in the family

will I have service issues seeing as they dont make it anymore ?

Thanks again , Larry

 

[Cherian]

No you can still get it fixed. As a mater of fact Bob Carver is fixing some of them himself.

See the link below.

The address is:
Rita Helm, Old Sunfire building
1920 Bickford Ave
Snohomish WA 98290

Phone 425-530-9557. Ask for Harry Abbott.

http://www.carveraudio.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7093

 

[eknuds01]

I haven't heard the sunfire pre-amps, but if you have a chance to audition or maybe pick up a cheap, used, ARC pre-amp I would highly encourage that idea!!

Per Dan's advice, I found a used LS2. This ia actually a hybrid pre-amp that uses just one tube. So this pre-amp is sort of a departure from the other pre-amps that six, eight, or more tubes.

I really like this pre-amp. The previous owner upgraded the power cord and a few other things and it sounds terrific. The vocals are clear and the soundstage is much wider. I happen to think that ARC has almost a magical effect when paired with martin logan speakers.

 

[repman]

No you can still get it fixed. As a mater of fact Bob Carver is fixing some of them himself.

See the link below.

The address is:
Rita Helm, Old Sunfire building
1920 Bickford Ave
Snohomish WA 98290

Phone 425-530-9557. Ask for Harry Abbott.

http://www.carveraudio.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7093

Thanks for the info very helpful

 

[repman]

I haven't heard the sunfire pre-amps, but if you have a chance to audition or maybe pick up a cheap, used, ARC pre-amp I would highly encourage that idea!!

Per Dan's advice, I found a used LS2. This ia actually a hybrid pre-amp that uses just one tube. So this pre-amp is sort of a departure from the other pre-amps that six, eight, or more tubes.

I really like this pre-amp. The previous owner upgraded the power cord and a few other things and it sounds terrific. The vocals are clear and the soundstage is much wider. I happen to think that ARC has almost a magical effect when paired with martin logan speakers.

Thanks I will definatly add this to my list Iwill keep you all posted as to what i end up with

Again thanks for all the help

 

[eknuds01]

We have a few members that use the SP17 / 17L Stereo Pre-amp. Dan and Dave have this model and I have listened to their systems a few times. Both room sizes, speakers, cables, etc are different but everything sounds wonderful.

One time I brought over my LS2 to Dan's house and we swapped out his SP17 for my unit and we really had hard time telling the difference. It wasn't extensive evaluation but nothing really stood out. It wasn't all that suprising - changing out one ARC pre-amp for another.

Erik

 

[DTB300]

We have a few members that use the SP17 / 17L Stereo Pre-amp. Dan and Dave have this model

SP16L for me, Dave has LS-26

 

[OldMonolith]

Keep in mind the possible danger of putting a tube preamp in front of a solid state input stage amp.

If you power up the amp first, and then apply power to a tube output stage preamp, the output coupling cap must charge before it blocks. During that brief moment a pulse of DC can pass. (Have you heard that thump that bounces the drivers real hard?) It's easy for this to excede input chip maximum values and damage them.

This is doesn't happen with SS output stage on a tube hybrid preamp. If the pre output is transformer coupled, no danger there either. But the recommended power up procedure of preamp first, amp second is a good idea to have the habit of in any case!

All the longer term service tech's have experience with this and know immediately the potential!

I ran a Welborne hybrid preamp in front of a Carver Silver 9T for many years and thought it was sonically a very good combo!!

OldMonolith

 

[eknuds01]

SP16L for me, Dave has LS-26

Oops. My bad. Thought you too that the same one!

 

[twich54]

Keep in mind the possible danger of putting a tube preamp in front of a solid state input stage amp.

If you power up the amp first, and then apply power to a tube output stage preamp, the output coupling cap must charge before it blocks.

Yep , that is why I / we always power up in order from source to amplifier and reverse for power down.

 

[DTB300]

Yep , that is why I / we always power up in order from source to amplifier and reverse for power down.

Yepper...So no need for ANY real worries or scares about Tube Pre, SS Pre, Tube Amp, SS Amp, run what you like best and power sequence as has been well documented

 

[repman]

thanks for all the input guys, Larry

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Well for my two cents worth, I too did have a tube preamp with a SS amp for awhile and it was pure magic. I had 3 different CJ preamps with a SS amp (CJ) and as I moved up the latter in CJ equipment it just kept getting better.:music:

Jeff

 

[timm]

cool - you stole my thread!!... I was looking into this awhile back and found that many of the tube pre-amps were not a good match for the sunfire. I came across this when I was thinking of getting a fairly affordable primaluna prologue 3... I mentioned that my sunfire input impedence was about 24K - and that apparently will cause a roll off of high frequencies with the prologue 3 match...

Given that - the recommmendation for the pre was to have an amp somewhere over 50K ohm impedence. So, that begs the question - does someone have any type of formula - or basic rule we could use to determine whether the input/output impedences are a good match between amp & pre?
Or is it more than that?

Admittedly I do not know all that much about this....

 

[tonyc]

The input impedence of the amp should be at least 100 times greater than the ouput impedence of the preamp or the LOWEST frequencies will be attenuated. Somebody please correct me if I got this wrong!