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Model: Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp Category: Preamplifier (Tube) Suggested Retail Price: $1495.00 Description: Vacuum tube preamp 2ch Manufacturer URL: Sunfire Model Picture: View
Review by bostonaudi (A) on November 03, 2003 at 11:28:26
IP Address: 12.148.251.114Add Your Review
for the Classic Vacuum Tube PreampI recently bought a used Sunfire Classic pre, a later one with bigger power supply transformer. I never gave Carver products much thought since owning a Phase Linear 4000-2 preamp many, many years ago. I always thought his products were somewhat gimmicky and associated with mass-market retail stores and therefore, bad. However, I wanted a tube pre with balanced outs, remote, and phono capability, and this unit fell in that camp. I read the usual reviews, most quite positive. Mine does not have the phono section and is line stage only. My previous preamp was an original non-remote Pass Aleph P, of which I grew a little tired of its lack of user amenities (remote). Soundwise the P is probably one of the best to hit the market ss or tube so my new one had to be close.My particular model still has all stock Sovtek 6922's in the line stage, which is what my listening is based on. The rest of my system is a VPI-19-4 table with Shelter 501-2 cartridge, Pass Ono phono stage, Pass Aleph 30 power amp feeding Maggie MMG's, and a SF Assemblage 300B SET feeding Living Voice Auditorium's when in the mood for 300B sound.
The Sunfire has both SE and balanced outputs so this configuration needs no shuffling of wires, if I want to listen to Maggies I turn on the Pass, if LV's then turn on the Assemblage. The Pass is connected with balanced cables, the Assemblage SE. I have FMS cables hooking everything up. I'm having trouble deciding which setup to keep as both sound really good (but different).
After getting it out of the box, I noticed the build quality of this preamp is very good, it seems very well put together. The tubes can be seen through a little window in the front, and there are little lights inside which glow so you can see all the tubes. I was never one for light shows or blue lights, but I kind of like this, it looks classy.
The Sunfire on first listen was a tad chocolaty, so I let it warm up more. This effect seemed to go away after a few hours. This preamp immediately struck me as extremely quiet, there is no background hiss, and no humming, noise or buzzes whatsoever. This is one of the quietest preamps I've ever had in my system, ss or tube. The sound is very good, and does not seem as "tubey" as the reviews (and Carvers own ad speak) would have you think. It is very detailed, bass seems pretty well extended and tight, and highs not rolled off. It seems to have its own sound signature, but probably leans a little toward ARC type sound, detailed, yet not fatiguing in any way. Musical tones seem accurate, and individual instruments are not blurred. This is a pre that invites hours of listening. It seems to sound very good going through either the Maggies or the Living Voice speakers both of which would reveal sins of commission, and of which I cannot find anything serious. The Sunfire Classic also has tone "contour" controls, and after going years with preamps with none, is kind of a nice change. They are switchable. They are done well and do not add bloat or roll off the high end, they simple add a subtle boost in energy at low or high frequencies which can make badly eq'd recordings sound much better. Tone controls are not the devil, done right they can make unlistenable music much more tolerable. And don't forget, all music goes though equalizers and tone controls just to get recorded in the first place.
The remote is basic, and just offers volume and mute which is all I need. It is not gold plated or made of platinum or whatever. One negative may possibly be the AC cord, which is fixed, but the one it comes with is quite heavy duty, so I doubt there is any real loss going on there.
It may be interesting to see what old NOS tubes would do in this pre, but for now the Sovtek's seem fine, they are quiet as all heck and don't seem to be getting in the way of the music.
This is a good buy on the used market at around $900-1000 and I would recommend it. I'd probably also recommend a new one at full retail.
Product Weakness: Fixed AC cord, rather large chassis Product Strengths: Sound, quietness, build quality, balanced and SE out, remote
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Pass Labs Aleph 30/Assemblage 300B Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Pass Aleph P Sources (CDP/Turntable): VPI 19-IV, Souther, Shelter 501-2 Speakers: Living Voice Auditorium/MMG Cables/Interconnects: FMS Music Used (Genre/Selections): rock, classical, female vocal Room Size (LxWxH): 20 x 12 x 8 Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 days Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Power Plant P-300 Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp Preamplifier (Tube) - bostonaudi 11:28:26 11/03/03 (3)
- Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp Preamplifier (Tube) - pushpulltriode 22:41:45 11/10/03 (0)
- Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp Preamplifier (Tube) - J-PMatt@Comcast.Net 20:56:47 11/04/03 (0)
- Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp Preamplifier (Tube) - RBP 16:10:33 11/03/03 (0)
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