Hi
I am new to the community and PS Audio equipment, I am very happy about it.
I currently own a pair of M700s and a Directstream DAC.
I want to include a preamp in the mix and i would like your option in which preamp to get from your product line, the Gain Cell or BHK?
Would be possible to improve the sound only with the GCD or only the BHK would bring audible change on this setup?
Thank you
Marcelo
Welcome, Marcelo!
Thank you! Glad to part of this community!
Save some cash. SGCD, no tube required and it tames any source that may sound too “digital”. If cash is not an issue, of course BHK. Humble opinion.
I also have a pair of M 700s and a Direcstream DAC. I found that the sound did not improve with the Stellar Gain Cell preamp. It seemed to have the effect of moving the music further away, as if you were sitting 30 rows back in a concert hall. Instead of the first few rows of the orchestra.
To many of us that’s a good thing if it’s moving it further back behind the speakers into a more distant space more detached from the speakers.
Hi Marcelo… My experience may be relevant to your question. I have M700’s and a DMP and streaming into a Direct Stream Junior and it had been feeding a Stellar GCD preamp for a year or so. With good source material the sound was excellent and, given that I have the DSJ, I no longer used the DAC portion of the GCD. Last month I replaced the GCD with a new BHK Preamp to see if the difference might be audible. Well… YES, the BHK preamp is definitely several leagues better than the GCD. I changed nothing else and the difference was striking! I immediately got lost in the music, the definition, the detail and imaging. I won’t go further into trying to describe the improvement, but, yes, it is substantial. I hope this helps.
Craig
That is an interesting point. I plan to put the preamp back in this weekend before I make a final decision. . . I spent the last ten days breaking in the DAC and listening without the preamp. The sound is amazing. It brings a warmth and a level of realism that I have never been able to achieve before with digital. .
Calord, thank you very much for your input since you had the opportunity to try both preamps with the same M700’s.
It helped a lot for sure!
Marcelo
Fkobola, that’s for sharing your experience. Looking forward for your test with the preamp and your new impressions.
Appreciated
Marcelo
Reinstalled the Stellar preamp, and set the volume of the dac to 100-fixed, which I am embarrassed to say I didn’t do the first time. The addition of the preamp brings a warmth with no loss of detail, it is another step closer to analog. Also an improvement in the soundstage and separation of instruments. The preamp is staying in my system.
Tks for sharing your experience!