Originally Posted by alancohen
There are lots of wonderful preamps other than Altec. I had my share of passives (Bent Audio, Light Speed Attenuator, Placette) and active (ARC LS 12, ARC LS 16, Supratek Chenin transformer coupled, cap coupled JEL Type 76 FF preamp, Type 26 with Filament bias/SSHV B+/transformer coupled preamp, and the aformentioned GG from Transcendent Sound about 6 years ago). All have their own merits and to me better than any potentiometer I tried regardless of brand. I prefer active, because the source does not have to drive the amp.
At present, I still have the Supratek, the JEL, and the Type 26 wherein the latter is the "main hitter" in my system. I have never heard a preamp as sweet as and as dynamic as a transformer coupled (Lundahl)Filament Bias type 26 of my many years in audio. The soundstage I get from this preamp using 2A3 amps enables my system to employ an 802D to project as big a sound as a 288C . The topology is very simple but the power supply alone of this preamp can put mega dollar preamp power supply to shame(separate chassis, AZ1 rectified, choke loaded, separate regulated B+ using Shunt Regulators, separate regulated filaments per channel employing filament bias on type 26 DHT tube).
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