IRD LLC-P (Purist) preamp

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My two-channel music-only system consisted of a TEAC VRDS 25Xs CD player, a Rotel RC-995 preamp, a Rotel RB-1095 amp and nOrh Marble 9.0 speakers connected with Zaolla silver interconnects and PS Solid Silver speaker cables. While it may not be exactly today$B!G(Bs state of the art, I was totally satisfied. Or so I thought until the upgrade bug bit me again a couple of months ago.
My recent acquisition is a LLC-P (Purist) preamp from IRD. For those of you who are not familiar with the Bangkok based company, Curt Wishman, president and chief engineer of IRD, was responsible for designing and manufacturing the cute little monoblock called Le Amp marketed by nOrh, which developed a sort of cultish status (now sold as MB-100 by IRD). The Purist is his first effort to focus on developing reasonably priced high-end gear (sounds contradictory, doesn$B!G(Bt?) exclusively for his company.
From my experience with IRD I can confidently say Curt is an extremely straightforward person who is willing to go extra miles to satisfy his customer$B!G(Bs needs. I first got the original Purist in May and sent it back to Bangkok for the free update (revision 1.01) and the –6dB mod Curt offered to me to meet my requirement. When my Purist got stuck at the Thai Customs for an unreasonably long time, he sent me a brand new unit, updated and modified to my specification. It was a real pleasure dealing with him.
My new Purist arrived at my doorstep two weeks ago.
Measuring 16.75"W x 3.25"H x 11.0"D and weighing extremely hefty 23 pounds, it looks just simple and elegant. The thick faceplate is black anodized brushed aluminum with a blue LED, an on/off switch and the three beautifully machined stainless steel control knobs nicely set off against it. Build quality is nothing short of outstanding.
It hardly matters how the preamp looks unless it sounds good, of course. Functioning flawlessly, the Purist sounded already promising right out of the box and it was dead silent at idle. I gave it more than 100-hour burn-in time before serious listening.
First off, I was impressed at how transparent and extended it sounded seemingly with no added warmth, coloration or sweetness. Anna Caram$B!G(Bs Sunflower Time proved an effective showcase to display the transparency and extension. "Mas Que Nada" begins with the strong bass line, which was deep, tight and controlled. At the other extreme, strikes of cymbals resonated clearly with perfect focus, shimmering with plenty of air. The Purist is fast, dynamic and immediate with an emphasis on transients and fine detail but the extended treble never comes across as harsh or fatiguing.
What struck me about the Purist next is it can render images with dimensionality and a sense of separation within the soundstage. It beautifully delineates Ms. Caram$B!G(Bs sensuous voice along with the surrounding instruments. Although it perhaps lacks the last measure of bloom and harmonic glow, the Purist seems to get out of the way allowing for an intimate relationship with the music.
The Purist demonstrates its maturity in the heart of the oh-so-important midrange, which is uncolored without the lush bloom typical of many tube preamps I have heard. Listen, for example, to Rosemary Clooney$B!G(Bs effortless delivery, that graces every track of her Sings Ballads album recorded when she was still in her prime. The Purist presents her bittersweet rendition of "Shadow of Your Smile" with more than enough detail and energy to bring her into the room, while maintaining the organic nature of her vocal timbre together with the heartfelt saxophone sound provided by Scott Hamilton.
I think the album that best sums up all the strength the Purist represents is Eric Clapton$B!G(Bs Unplugged. Listening to this outstanding live recording is simply an amazing experience. The speakers completely disappear and I feel could almost get up and touch him. I can hear him tap his foot on the floor so clearly it is weird. More than just its imaging and soundstaging ability, the Purist seems to be able to render each instrument (and footsteps) closer to the real thing than I have ever known.
Comparing with the Purist, the Rotel RC-995, my previous preamp, sounded darker and softer with a bit more laid-back perspective. The Purist sounds more transparent with definition and transients. The low end is better-controlled and the upper frequencies are more extended. I hasten to say the RC-995 is not a bad preamp. Far from it. It can still provide excellent value for money. The Purist just proved it was in another league by sounding as if a veil was removed, to use the reviewer$B!G(Bs cliché.
I might have given you the impression that I am talking about a preamp costing a couple thousand dollars. In fact, the Purist is sold online at US$665 plus shipping. It does have a few quirks, such as the lack of a headphone jack and the absence of a remote control. But they can be forgivable for its exceptional sound and tank-like build quality particularly at the price.
I wouldn$B!G(Bt claim the Purist is the only preamp you will ever need. But I do suggest any of you give it a try, if you arelooking forward a good sounding preamp but do not want to spend too much money. Even if you are rich enough to afford a much more expensive one, it still may not be a bad idea to get a Purist. It will cost you a fraction of the new pair of interconnects you recently got and you can always give it to your father-in-law in case you are not satisfied. I have a strong suspicion you will keep it, though.

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Kimber Kable

Topic - IRD LLC-P (Purist) preamp - Nick M 20:04:38 08/14/03 (2)

My sentiments exactly... - JoshK 06:09:50 08/18/03 (0)

Nice Review, Thank You - Curt W 00:52:13 08/16/03 (0)

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