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Re: May you be very happy thinking that stuff is SOTA

"I left a Citation 11 like yours behind thirty years ago."

Set for unity gain and with all filters out and the equalizer in bypass, I couldn't hear any difference when the signal went through the preamp and when it bypasses it. What else is it supposed to do??? This preamp is extremely flexible having many inputs, outputs, and controls. Its 5 band graphic equalizer is exceptionally useful with the 5000 to 10,000 recordings I have easily compensating for differences in tonal balance inherent in the recordings themselves. I think it a terrible loss not to have this kind of flexibility in modern preamplifiers.

The prices of new equipment though is nothing short of insanity. My favorite is the Nagra preamp whose signal circuit which consists of 2 dual triodes, I think 6AT7 or 12AT7 and power supply could have been built easily by even a beginner for about $25 to $50 45 years ago. Nagra's asking price is....$10,000. And what about the guy who sells you a potentionmeter, a 5 position dual section rotary switch, and a dozen gold plated RCA jacks in a small sheet metal box and tells you with a straight fact that at a mere $500 what a bargain you are getting for his "passive" preamp.

"Do you honestly think that carbon resistors and in-signal electrolytic capacitors, for example, are still the best way to engineer a component?"

Were it not for the fact that more reliable longer life substutes only increase production costs insignificantly, there would be no reason not to use them. At audio frequencies, when manufactured to high quality standards and brand new, they make virtually no audible difference.

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