Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Aragon 28K Preamplifier (SS) by Jim P

Model:	28K
Category:	Preamplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$unknown
Description:	Aragon's only Pre-Amp
Manufacturer URL:	Aragon

Review by Jim P on February 27, 2009 at 17:38:06
IP Address: 69.1.112.219 Add Your Review
for the 28K

This is actually to review a 24K version of this older pre-amp. No remote was supplied or even offered. Very industrial look. No treble or bass adjustments,only balance. The rotary knobs(Noble pot(s)I think,not sure) are extrememly smooth in operation. The pre-amp also has a pretty good MM pre-amp built in. The gold connectors on the back are gold plated(hence the name) and very very solidly built. The pre-amp has a separate power supply with a XLR type plug to power the pre-amp, and it,the power supply, does get pretty warm though not alarmingly so and the power supply wire is pretty cheap looking to be honest.

I originally had a very reliable Yamaha "flagship" receiver and had it sart slipping in/out of DTS mode. The whole system was pulled(7.2) including a large panel HD screen. I purchased the Aragon 24K pre for $399(kinda old 1990-ish I think?) as a temperary 'get me by' kinda deal because a new $5000 isn't in the picture. I also puchased a Rotel RCD 1072 CDP to match my Rotel RB-1080 amp feeding a pair of Paradigm Studio 100 V.4 speakers. Audioquest wires were used exclusively. The speakers are in a roughly equalateral triangle to the ear and have around 3' around the speakers.
My initial reaction was,why did I ever spend $$ on a receiver and no spanking on Yamaha(it lasted almost 9 years) and on movies it did well. I won't try to say a lot of superlatives of how this sounded or that. The music was just shockingly there and our cd's are all new again so to speak. I never really thought the sound would become musical by this change. I play music in numerous classical groups and so I get to hear a lot of acoustic instruments up close and personal and this set-up sounds pretty good at trying to create the illusion of a performance in your living room.
Aragon built a really nice pre-amp(prices I hear were from $1000-$1500 new around 1990?, for the money and spanked a fairly pricey receiver, undoubtably the Pre was much better with the rotel CD thrown in the mix. That said originally I had an Arcam cd72 hooked up to the Yamaha at one point and the sound was thin and not fleshed out. this not to say all surround sound sucks or not. I just love the musicallity of this system!

Product Weakness:	Wants to be played at a somewhat loud level. Need proper power conditioning.I'm the remote control.
Product Strengths:	Clarity, individual notes are discernable yet form a whole. Very quiet. it's like listening to my cd's all new because there is so much more that's NOT there and good detail that is. 2 sets of pre-outs for set-up flexibilty.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: RB 1080 200W X2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Aragon 24K
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Rotel RCD 1072
Speakers: Paradigm Studio 100 V.4
Cables/Interconnects: Audioquest Diamondback interconnects and audioquest Rocket 44 single bi-wire speaker cable.
Music Used (Genre/Selections): A lot of Pink Floyd lately and chamber music especially vivaldi string concerto's
Room Size (LxWxH): 2o' x 25 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: none
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Cheap Monster power centers
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): See above

Amplifier:	RB 1080 200W X2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Aragon 24K
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Rotel RCD 1072
Speakers:	Paradigm Studio 100 V.4
Cables/Interconnects:	Audioquest Diamondback interconnects and audioquest Rocket 44 single bi-wire speaker cable.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	A lot of Pink Floyd lately and chamber music especially vivaldi string concerto's
Room Size (LxWxH):	2o' x 25 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	none
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Cheap Monster power centers
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	See above