Question for Peter re. Pre3

[Global]

Hi Peter

'scuse me if you have answered this one elsewhere but when do you expect Pre3 kits to go on sale?

I think I deserve one!

Thanks

Mark

[petercom]

We should have all the stock items at the end of this month.

It's all rather later than expected, and previously promised, but we do like to get things right and not rush at it. That way we sort out the problems, not the builder (though there will always be a few minor niggles that people like to put us right on).

[RobHolt]

Peter I recall you mentioning some time ago that the Pre3 needed a larger enclosure than the 2 series units.

Is that still the case?

regards,

Rob.

[petercom]

Thankfully, no, after a bit of clever PCB design we were able to fit it into the existing modular case size. Most of it is taken up by the enormous, and heavy, output transformers.

[Bizzie]

Does that mean that you can supply an upgrade kit for the Pre II?

What is the gain of the Pre III?

I found the Pre II to have too much gain @ 5x for my system and didn't like what it did to the sound with voltage dividers on the inputs and have now changed it to cathode follower to try to solve that problem.

[Andrew]

Hi Peter,

Will you be doing a passive version of this amp? And, will there be room for the S&B TVCs, as opposed to a resistor based attenutator?

thanks,

-- Andrew

[petercom]

Originally Posted by Bizzie

Does that mean that you can supply an upgrade kit for the Pre II?

What is the gain of the Pre III?

I found the Pre II to have too much gain @ 5x for my system and didn't like what it did to the sound with voltage dividers on the inputs and have now changed it to cathode follower to try to solve that problem.

The main problem with the Pre2 was its output transformer which was both prone to hum pickup and had too much gain.

We've solved both of these in the WDPre3, which is an altogether different beast having been designed from the ground up as a no-holds barred preamp. But you can't upgrade a Pre2 I'm afraid, though you can use the old PSU with simple mods.