Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Music First Audio Passive Magnetic Preamplifer Passive Components by Ganesh Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

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Model:	Passive Magnetic Preamplifer
Category:	Passive Components
Suggested Retail Price:	£1,500
Description:	Passive preamp based on Stevens and Billington specical attenuator transformer
Manufacturer URL:	Music First Audio
Manufacturer URL:	Music First Audio

Review by Ganesh ( A ) on August 27, 2004 at 03:07:56 IP Address: 82.35.105.156

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Having recently acquired a Shanling tube SACD player and a pair of SP80 monoblocks to use with my ProAc speakers I believed my latest round of system upgrades complete. Not so! Whilst both SACD player and monoblocks have volume controls - it turns out neither perform the function particularly well. I was certainly pleased with the sound I was hearing (especially after having replaced some of the tubes in the monoblocks) – but (guided by Thorsten of this parish) I wanted to see how much I could improve the sound from these components.

First off I bypassed the volume control on the monoblocks and used that in the SACD player. This was a sizable improvement in both the sound stage as well as the overall dynamics. Secondly Thorsten made some small tweaks to the SACD player itself (mostly capacitor and op amp upgrades) and demonstrated how to bypass the volume control in the player itself. These changes made another significant improvement to the sound – much more detail and, for want of a better phrase, a less ‘digital’ sound. In fact these improvements made such a difference it was almost like upgrading the equipment all over again.

So to the pre-amp itself. On first installing the unit I was shocked:

1) The level of detail in recordings seemed to have increased exponentially. There were sounds I had never dreamed of hearing before in my favorite recordings – the transparency of this unit was quite simply astonishing.

2) The music had gained dynamics on an equal with an active pre-amplification stage. The music simply ‘swung’ more :)

3) It sounded very forward, very ‘bright’ indeed – almost unlistenable! The bass was almost lost in all this treble! Where had all that trebly detail been hiding?!

The mid range continued to be beautifully presented but it became evident that this unit required some serious running in time. After 50 hours of playing pink noise through the pre-amp the sound has opened out and the brightness is almost gone. All that is left is just incredible detailed well presented music. This unit looses none of the dynamics which resistor based pre-amps inevitably do. I believe it will require another 50 hours or so to fully realize its potential.

To conclude – I am astonished by just how much quality & detail is lost in the volume stages. This unit is simply excellent – a huge step forward for my system.

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Product Weakness:	None although its list price is a little expensive.
Product Strengths:	Transparency – detail and dynamics. Excellent build quality.

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Shanling SP80s
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Above
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Shanling SACD player
Speakers:	ProAc Response 2.5
Cables/Interconnects:	JPS Labs
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	All sorts
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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