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Re: Know a quiet preamp?

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I've had a Modulus 3A, moved to a BAT VK-5i, then to a BAT VK-50, back to a 5i and, finally, I think, back to the Modulus 3A. All were dead quiet, even though 6922s are supposed to be pretty microphonic themselves. The 5i has a very seductive midrange--vocals are very bloomy--and the overall sound is, to paraphrase Debby Harry, "cold as ice cream but still as sweet". The Mod 3A has a slightly richer midrange, with a bit less air and sparkle on top than the 5i, and no remote, but it's got a built-in phono stage. The volume controls can drive you out of your mind--the gradations between settings are huge and it always seems to be a bit softer or louder than you'd really like, but hell, it's half the price of the BAT and uses fewer tubes, so you can play with new old stock like Amperex and Tungsram and try to tailor the sound. It even has internal switches to shut down the capacitors in the signal path for a "purer" sound, and various combinations of inputs and outputs that allow you to shape the sound even more. I've kept both the BATs and the Mod 3A on a rack on the front wall between the speakers, and even in this absolutely horrible, vibration-ridden location I've never heard a peep out of any of those preamps.


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  • Re: Know a quiet preamp? - SalD 23:31:24 06/05/00 (0)


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