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RE: Pre-amp suggestions

I agree with the suggestion of getting the AI back and having a local tech in your area fix/upgrade it.
If you are looking for something else to hold you while you wait, you can't go wrong with pretty much any Audio Research preamp from the 1980s or 1990s. SP6,SP8, SP9, and SP14 are fairly easy to find, reasonably priced and sound good stock and have very nice phono stages. SP10 and SP11 are super preamps and can be modified to near state of the art performance.
I have a SP14 that I bought used 17 years ago. Used it stock for a decade then spent about a grand with a local tech to modify it (V Cap coupling caps, upgrade power supply, vishay resistors, new wiring, diodes, binding posts). Sounds even better, I have brought it to local dealers to test against modern preamps and have not found anything that much better for under $5k.
I am sure your AI would also sound much better with a similar modification.



Edits: 03/14/16 03/14/16 03/14/16

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  • RE: Pre-amp suggestions - Mendel 12:05:09 03/14/16 (0)

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