Burn in will take care of the transparency issue, which has happened to all my new components, and cables too. Nothing to worry about that.
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Just in hour two the transparency has improved.
Others commented on a larger soundstage which initially I heard but only modestly. I went back after another hour and it had opened up considerably.
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That’s how I do things with my PST. I find this works much better than using the track advance key next to the central button.
Particularly when you just want to listen to a track towards the end of the disk. Maybe there will be an aftermarket remote someday with number keys. This new remote is the only one I know of without number keys.
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Folks:
I’m sorry that I was distracted by my experience with the new remote. I am sure that PSA can fix this problem.
So, what do I think about the new PMG PreAmp? Please note that I listed my equipment above but forgot to mention the two P20’s and an Airlens. I have burned it in for about 25 hours and I’m impressed. It needs more burn in and I expect it to get much better over time. In general, the PMG is more resolving than the BHK. You will notice more low level detail, probably because of its lower noise floor. The PMG can negotiate complex material and resolve detail while the BHK renders it more homogeneous. Right out of the box you may think that the PMG has less bass than the BHK because the bass is tighter and more detailed. For example, you may notice overtones when the bass drum is used. The PMG is more focused and each instrument and/or voice appears to be smaller while the BHK defuses more. To evaluate the PMG, I streamed using the amazing Airlens. Let me tell you right now that the PSA Airlens does a fantastic job. I used a playlist on Tidal put together by Audio Excellence of Canada. Here are some of my observations after 25 hours BI:
- Oh My Sweet Carolina by Ryan Adams. When the lead singer opens the track there is absolute blackness and transparency. He his dead center. When the female joins in both singers are separate and in their own space, better than BHK. She is in front and to his right.
- Mining for Gold by Cowboy Junkies. The sound stage is awesome and there is a slight echo by the female singer. Her voice is very transparent.
- Lucky by Kay Edmonson. The PMG does a beautiful job rendering the female voice. The percussive Xylophone hits are done well. There is an eerie quality here that draws you into the music.
- Liberty by Anette Askvik. Spectacular! My notes say “absolute clarity, dynamics and leading edges, low noise and a glorious sax”
- Where Have All The Flowers Gone by David Roth. My noes say, "Tremendous and powerful voice, beautiful tonal balance and clarity.
- Kiss in Blue by Yello. You’ve got to hear this track on the PMG! All in all, the new PMG preAmp is a keeper. I 'll follow up after 100 hours.Cheers
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The BHK does have an HT bypass mode, which I use. Does the PMG also have a HT bypass mode?
The PMG has a HT bypass. The manual mentions this. The HT bypass is done thru one of the RCA outputs and can be programmed in. Check it out.
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Aw man! I was hoping that the sound quality between the BHK pre & the PMG would be closer than it is. My wallet would have appreciated it.
I have been a tube preamp guy for many, many years as I like what they add to the sound quality compared to the solid state I auditioned.
My current BHK has the Synergistic Research master fuse and I rotate NOS Telefunken & Amperex 7316 tubes as each set has a slightly different but enjoyable presentation .
When the PMG arrived yesterday around noon I unpacked and installed it . I put some music on and left it running for a few hours at a low volume level before sitting down for some serious listening.
I thought that I couldn’t get much more out of my system & I am delighted I was wrong .
My first observation is that the remote volume control worked just fine from my seated position 10’ away from my speakers. Secondly, you have to see the volume display in your system. It is outrageous and it makes me smile every time I see it. Thirdly, I had to keep checking my sound level meter as I kept thinking what I was hearing was louder than I thought. Normally I average around 85 to 90 dba. Yesterday 80 to 85 dba was plenty loud.
As for the sound quality, it is totally immersive. Even with just a few hours run time , it in another league compared to the BHK which was & still is an excellent preamp.Every song I played over a 6 hour listening session had much more fullness to it . I heard things I never noticed before such as Van Morrison’s song Brown Eyed Girl. I have listened to this song since it first came out & I never heard the very low volume hand clapping in the right channel.
PMG can get enthusiastic about his products at times but in this case, he is more than justified. If the PMG DAC I have a deposit on has as much or even half the impact as the preamp, I will be living in my media room .
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What’s the trade in amount for the BHK pre?
$3K is what we’re buying back BHK Pres for when you purchase a PMG pre,.
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Ok, this was a wonderful review and thanks. You nailed it. I particularly liked this line: “PMG can get enthusiastic about his products at times but in this case, he is more than justified. If the PMG DAC I have a deposit on has as much or even half the impact as the preamp, I will be living in my media room .
I definitely can get overly excited but when you hear the extraordinary gap between what we all agree was a wonderful product, the BHK Pre, and the new PMG, it’s hard not to jump up and down!
And the DAC? Perhaps an even bigger chasm between that and the DSMKII,
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If the PMG DAC is as good as you say my wife will be issuing husband missing posters about me. Then again after 51 years of marriage she might be happy that I am missing in action!
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One other thing I really like is the change in the remote. Just below the volume rocker on the old remote was a small off button. I don’t know how many times I tapped that when I just wanted to lower the volume. You then have to wait for it to power up again. The new remote has installed a mute button in its place thank goodness.
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Is remote burn in a thing? I’m not having any of the issues I noted in earlier posts on the first few days of use.
Regardless of the remote orientation, I’m consistently and reliably controlling the Pre with the remote from my listening position.
Added some pics for posterity.
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Installed the new transport this morning and I would describe the sound as a bit more clean or crisp (in a good way). It is easily heard on vocals and snare hits and probably in other areas but I only listened briefly.
I’m looking forward to listening after it has more time playing. And the PMG pre only has about 3 or 4 hours on it now.
For those who used the numeric key track selection on the old remote, if you’re at track 1 pressing the previous track button on the new one sends you to the last track on the disk; helpful for disks with many tracks.
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You know that the FR speakers must be included in the “more than justified” category.
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Hah! Our wives sound similar and I too am coming up on 51….
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Indeed. I have to sometimes pinch myself when I bring someone new into the Listening Lab with the FR30s connected as feed by the PMG stack…their jaws always drop as what they get is so unexpected…more than justified is right!
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So no IR at all? And I assume it does not have an API so it can be controlled via IP? That sounds really bad… So another device that cannot be integrated into a home automation system with a central remote control system. Why do you develop your products in such a narrow-minded way? I don’t understand that. For comparison: The cheap AppleTV uses RF but also offers IR as an alternative and you could even control it via IP. That’s why it can be fully integrated into home automation systems. I spend a lot of money to avoid ending up with an armada of remote controls and to make my audio/video landscape wife suitable/acceptable. Sorry, to hear that. I am out. Wife says NO.