Solid State Preamp Reviews

Mark Levinson No.326S line preamplifier

John Atkinson Jan 14, 2006 First Published: Jan 14, 2006

Conceptually, the preamplifier is the bottleneck in an audio system. All sources pass through it, and it influences every sound you hear. A system comprising great speakers and gutsy amplification will sound uninspired if that's the character of the preamplifier. Conversely, a great preamplifier will allow through so much information, so much of the music, that the listener can forgive the shortcomings of lesser speakers and amplifiers.

Solid State Preamp Reviews

Viola Audio Laboratories Cadenza preamplifier

Wes Phillips Dec 18, 2005 First Published: Dec 18, 2005

"So what are you reviewing now?" A polite question, considering that my old friend Randy is definitely not an audiophile.

Solid State Preamp Reviews

Burmester 011 preamplifier

Brian Damkroger Jul 24, 2005 First Published: Jul 24, 2005

Back in 2003, while auditioning the Burmester 001 CD player ($14,000, reviewedhttp://www.stereophile.com/digitalsourcereviews/1203burmester">reviewed…; in the December 2003 Stereophile, Vol.26 No.12), I discovered that my system sounded much better if I bypassed my preamplifier and ran the 001 directly into the power amps. I concluded by suggesting that potential customers consider building a system around the 001 itself and forgo a preamp altogether. The response from Burmester fans was immediate and unambiguous: As good as the 001 was on its own, it sounded even better run through its stablemate, Burmester's 011 preamplifier ($15,999). The pair had, they claimed, a significant synergy that I absolutely had to hear. It's hard to argue with determined German logic, and I'd begun shopping for a new preamp anyway. So here we are.

Solid State Preamp Reviews

Bryston BP25-MC preamplifier

Larry Greenhill May 30, 2005 First Published: Oct 30, 1996

The Bryston BP-25MC preamplifier is a full-function control center with one balanced and four single-ended inputs, including one input for a moving-coil cartridge. The BP-25 is shielded in a black steel cabinet said to reduce electromagnetic interference effects. The power transformer is housed in a small external chassis, the BP-PS. The BP-25's remote control allows volume up/down, along with buttons for mute and absolute polarity. Signal switching and audio connections, including balanced and unbalanced input and output connectors, are heavily gold-plated to provide good long-term connections. A 12V AC/DC screw terminal connector on the rear of the power supply provides convenient use when used in conjunction with the remote start feature optionally available on Bryston power amplifiers.

Solid State Preamp Reviews Budget Component Reviews Headphone Reviews

HeadRoom Total BitHead headphone amplifier

Michael Fremer Dec 26, 2004 First Published: Dec 26, 2004

When, on his long-running TV variety show, Jackie Gleason used to order up some "traveling music" from music director Ray Bloch, he got a live orchestra's worth. But when Gleason, a composer and conductor in his own right (he wrote his show's unforgettable theme song, "Melancholy Serenade"), actually traveled, his listening options were severely limited compared to ours. By the time the comedian died in 1987, Sony had introduced the Walkman cassette player, but Apple's iPod was still more than a decade in the future.

Solid State Preamp Reviews

McIntosh C200 preamplifier

Paul Bolin Oct 15, 2004 First Published: Oct 01, 2004

In August, I reviewedhttp://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/804mcintosh">reviewed; McIntosh's MC501 monoblock power amplifier. In terms of what I'd thought was possible from Mac, this was a revelation. Once memories and lurking preconceptions had been set aside and the amps installed in my system, the MC501 easily established itself as among the finest overall performers I have ever reviewed.

Solid State Preamp Reviews

Cello Palette Preamplifier

Lewis Lipnick Aug 01, 2004 First Published: Jun 01, 1992

Founded in 1984 by Mark Levinson, the man responsible for the original Mark Levinson products (footnote 1), Cello has slowly become more visible within the high-end audio consumer market, as well as establishing a presence in the recording industry with very high quality microphone preamps, tape electronics, power amplifiers, and equalizers. Taking a holistic approach, Levinson offers Cello systems complete from preamplification and equalization stages through amplification to loudspeakers. He can also set up a complete recording studio for you, including the microphones, microphone preamplifiers, and tape decks. Cello manufactures their own interconnect and speaker cables, cutely called "Cello Strings." Besides marketing his products through high-end dealers, Levinson has established two showrooms, in New York and Los Angeles, dedicated to sales of Cello systems and components (as well as a few selected source components from other manufacturers).

Solid State Preamp Reviews CD Player/Transport Reviews

Meridian 208 CD player/preamplifier

John Atkinson Jul 04, 2004 First Published: Dec 01, 1990

"Desperation is the Mother of Invention." Isn't that how the proverb goes? Certainly it applied ten years ago in the case of the Philips engineers working on the development of the Compact Disc system. Given a specification that had included a 14-bit data word length, they had duly developed a 14-bit DAC chip, the TDA1540, only then to be informed that the CD standard decided upon after Sony joined forces with the Dutch company would involve 16-bit data words. (Thank goodness!)

Solid State Preamp Reviews

Placette Audio Remote Volume Control passive preamplifier

Brian Damkroger Jun 27, 2004 First Published: Jun 01, 2004

The Placette Audio Remote Volume Control is simplicity itself: a paperback-sized black box with one set of unbalanced inputs and outputs, a toggle switch (and a remote) to change the level, and a row of LEDs that light up to indicate the relative volume level. The signal path, too, is simple, with only a stepped attenuator between input and output. But this is not just any attenuator—it's a 125-step model built entirely with super-premium Vishay S-102 foil resistors.

Solid State Preamp Reviews Phono Preamp Reviews

Jeff Rowland Design Group Coherence preamplifier & Cadence phono stage

Shannon Dickson Jun 06, 2004 First Published: Sep 01, 1999

The Jeff Rowland Design Group has long been renowned for the exquisite quality of its chassis. The company was one of the first to promote fully balanced topologies in preamplifiers and amplifiers in the high-end market, one of the first to offer a sonically acceptable remote control, and one of the few to offer a battery power option for their amplifier line.