The Voka swilling Mr Pass B1 is complete and I have had time for some limited listening. I have listened both on cans and now as part of my main system.
Before I get into the prelim. review take a look at the finsihed product,
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RussB1SS.jpg
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RussB1RearSS.jpg
Quick description of the preamp: At the front there is the volume control with a 4oz solid brass black chrome knob on a 50K Alps blue velvet pot, to the left the on/off mini switch and the right: an Aqua led (yes genuine aqua led). As with all of my leds it barely glows when on.
On the back two sets of input RCAs. These are gold plated insulated RCAs, two pairs, so two switchable inputs and the output RCAs. The switch switches between inputs and there is also the power socket for the 19V 3.5A SMPS or any other PS.
Let’s get the bad parts over with first: On the HPs with Woody the HP driver in charge and being feed from the upgraded Oppo 980H, there was stacks of bass, good balance between mid and high frequencies. Mind you the preamp is barely hours old so a cap. and component settlement may change the audio landscape. BUT at this point with my SET and Osborns in place the sound is very tipped up. All I have done is replace my two stage valve preamp with the very new B1.
From upper mids through treble the sound is full of air and the sound stage has caused cracks in the plaster in the wall behind. The sound stage is so good and naturally etched I have been able to photograph it. But the bass appears way to lite. But as Dave from the Melbourne Audio club pointed out, this may be the true bass. Is the tube preamp adding something that is not there?
I think this preamp may suit a SS power amp. Dave has kindly offered to lend me his discrete component, all transistor, super tricked, dual mono, ultra low distortion power amp-rated 200W RMS. So my comments about bass etc. may change. And even as the amp settles, everything may change.
Now the good stuff: I have just been listening to Frank Sinatra “nice and easy” This is is a re-mastered, re-mix from original master tapes on a gold pressing.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY DREAMY, EVERY SOUND AND INSTRUMENT IS SOLIDLY PLACED ON
THE SOUND STAGE AND THE OVER-ALL “MUSIC” IS THE BEST I HAVE HEARD.
Yes very good. A big day of listening tomorrow so maybe some more gems to be dugout. One other problem is the preamp has not enough gain to play my SET at full level. But the mid-range, stereo image and sound stage is an “11” on any dial!!!!!
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