# Advice on preamp or? **URL:** \ **Category:** Systems\ **Created:** [December 15, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629 "2020-12-15T22:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Rhouse](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Rhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/1 "2020-12-15T22:10:00Z")
Greetings: This is the kind of post yo0u would see in Audiogon but I will not go there- those guys can be brutal. I am looking for an upgrade path. I have the full stellar stack with M700s and the P3. Speakers are LSA 10 Statements Oh and a Denafrips Iris USB converter. Got imaging space and dynamics galore. Recommendations to improve tonality is what I need. New Preamp maybe? I am a retired man don’t have the big bucks. Maybe a tube preamp? Budget 3,000? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![vkennedy61](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/vkennedy61/32/41241_2.png) [@vkennedy61](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/vkennedy61)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/2 "2020-12-15T22:14:59Z")
Permit me to help you spend an extra $$500: 😉 > **[PS Audio BHK Signature Preamp | Tube | Chicago, Illinois 60640](https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa710i-ps-audio-bhk-signature-preamp-tube)** > > PS Audio BHK Signature Preamp for sale. In on trade is a perfect condition PS Audio BHK preamplifier in black. Preamp comes complete with original box remote an owners manual. Please call with any questions at 773-720-1542 I don’t have anything to do with this posting, but I have been watching it. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Rhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Rhouse](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Rhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/3 "2020-12-15T22:27:52Z")
Thanks for the suggestion. Robert ---
**Author:** ![owlsalum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@owlsalum](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/owlsalum)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/4 "2020-12-16T00:19:28Z")
The cables you are using? Not suggesting using cables as tone controls, but some cables are not on my list because they can be threadbare. So maybe you can get the tonality inherent in your gear with a cable upgrade? $3000 may or may not get you a whole new loom, but that budget can buy you very strategic cable upgrades that could get you closer to what you’re after. ---
**Author:** ![Rhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Rhouse](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Rhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/5 "2020-12-16T00:22:42Z")
Thanks for the tip I have these cables I got from Raven Audio as interconnects and speaker cables. The USB cable is shunyata audio. Any suggestions? Robert ---
**Author:** ![owlsalum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@owlsalum](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/owlsalum)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/6 "2020-12-16T00:31:51Z")
Interesting. I can get away with this on-line without being lynched by Shunyata fanboys (I think), but I am not a Shunyata fan. Many of us on another thread very much like Audioquest USB cables. You don’t mention what model of Shunyata USB, but if you wind up paying less for an Audioquest USB and still like it more don’t let lower price sway you. Buy it from a dealer like, say, Music Direct and if you find it isn’t better and gets you closer to what you want you can return it. Easy as that. ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/7 "2020-12-16T03:22:51Z")
If you can find a used BHK preamp, it should be your next step. ---
**Author:** ![dawkinsj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@dawkinsj](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/dawkinsj)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 3:38am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/8 "2020-12-16T03:38:08Z")
And I’ve got one I’ll sell him. ---
**Author:** ![lonson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/lonson/32/249792_2.png) [@lonson](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/lonson)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 9:50am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/10 "2020-12-16T09:50:48Z")
If you are at all tempted by a preamp I recommend a Decware one, any of those offered. They are excellent and I have been using them for over 20 years. > **[Audiophile Tube Amplifiers and Loudspeakers by DECWARE](https://www.decware.com/)** Lead time is very long for new items (3 to 5 months now!) but there are used ones out there, this is an excellent example: > **[Forums - An Error Has Occurred!](https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1607296758)** ---
**Author:** ![john2213](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/john2213/32/94338_2.png) [@john2213](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/john2213)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 10:01am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/11 "2020-12-16T10:01:07Z")
Maybe a Don Sachs DS2? Don is easy to talk with and can customize (within reason) to match your needs. I use one in my office system and really enjoy it! Best, -JP ---
**Author:** ![frankvisser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/frankvisser/32/26534_2.png) [@frankvisser](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/frankvisser)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 10:58am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/12 "2020-12-16T10:58:57Z")
Funk is a very small but highly professional manufacturerer in Berlin, Germany. They produce very, very good studio stuff. Try their Funk MTX Monitor in their current version. Absoluteley pure sound, not any edges just telling you, what your sources are producing. Never boring, very fast, not sounding the sources of your choice. For instance my DSD and DMP, perhaps very soon the awaited PST 🙂 Funk MTX Monitor is made for decades of enjoyment … ---
**Author:** ![BillT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecc23a/32.png) [@BillT](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/BillT)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/13 "2020-12-16T12:15:32Z")
Since you want to improve tonality, you may want to consider a tube preamp where you can roll the tubes to dial in your tonal preferences. If you don’t absolutely need new, go to US audiomart or audiogon, click on preamps and then tubes. With up to 3K to play with you have a lot of great choices. Here is a listing for prima lunal dialogue premium with additional tubes well within your budget. I have it and love it. The only thing to consider is that it is not balanced. I don’t think that is a problem with the 700’s but OMKM. > **[PrimaLuna](https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649684544-primaluna/)** > > I am the only owner of this excellent preamp. Read the reviews. It was purchased from Upscale Audio and is being sold because I am setting up a new system.This preamp was used with both Coda CS and McCormack DNA-500 amps that powered Maggie 3.6’s and... Good hunting! ---
**Author:** ![Rhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Rhouse](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Rhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/14 "2020-12-16T13:33:40Z")
That looks interesting. TY for the advice ---
**Author:** ![kcleveland123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/kcleveland123/32/45645_2.png) [@kcleveland123](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/kcleveland123)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/15 "2020-12-16T13:37:11Z")
+1 on a used BHK preamp. This thing is truly magical. It replaced my perfectly fine Innersound Pre. Also let’s you get your feet wet with tube rolling without going broke. I currently have Baldwin/Raytheon 12AU7s in the BHK and they are fantastic ($40 for a perfectly matched pair). ---
**Author:** ![jamesh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/jamesh/32/3871_2.png) [@jamesh](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/jamesh)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/16 "2020-12-16T16:21:13Z")
I agree with others that have posted above. The BHK pre is a stupendous pre, and would be a fantastic addition to your Stellar stack. I just sent you a brief DM. ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/advice-on-preamp-or/20629/17 "2020-12-16T17:03:06Z")
To add another useful feature of the BHK preamp, the built in headphone amp sounds quite good.