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

[andrew ivimey]

ah Andrews sometimes think the same things.

It could be that I am bored with Pre2 (because it is a lovely pre) but a pair of S&B transformers in an otherwise passive pre is seeming more attractive at the mo'.

Anyone want a pair of Pre 2 output transformers? (that would galvanise me into action).

[Deep South]

Peter,
why hav'nt you used the same procedure for the Pre-amp module as for power amps, then all the Txs and chokes could have been mounted on the top plate rather than inside. With proper black painted ( I am resigned to the obsession for everything being painted black) steel hoods they would have looked good and allowed plenty of room for modding as well as keeping stray electrical fields under control.

Wil you be selling the new kits without the chassis as many of us have these already and they are identical so no problems there in fitting the new kits?

Black Stuart

[petercom]

Originally Posted by 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

A passive preamp is another product entirely and one we are looking at.

We are considering all the options, including transformer attenuation, but we haven't been convinced by the transformer attenuators available. The reason being that the majority of them have poor bandwidth, and even the good ones use a low number of turns to keep the inductance down and this demands a low impedance source.

Now if you can be absolutely sure your source is going to have an impedance below 500 Ohms they might give good results but I've seen plenty of devices - CD players - that have source impedances of 1K or 2K Ohms.

So if we are going to use a transformer we would design one ourselves, as we do with all our trannies. But there may be another, simpler way. We're still researching the options.

So, sorry, you'll have to wait till later in the year.

[petercom]

Originally Posted by Deep South

Peter,
why hav'nt you used the same procedure for the Pre-amp module as for power amps, then all the Txs and chokes could have been mounted on the top plate rather than inside. With proper black painted ( I am resigned to the obsession for everything being painted black) steel hoods they would have looked good and allowed plenty of room for modding as well as keeping stray electrical fields under control.

Wil you be selling the new kits without the chassis as many of us have these already and they are identical so no problems there in fitting the new kits?

Black Stuart

I think this goes back to the concept that the traditional valve power amp was an ugly thing which you stuck away in a cupboard, whilst the smaller, neater, preamp either sat on the sideboard or was housed in a neat cabinet.

It's an interesting idea to explore, though!

Good news for upgraders - the PSU is nearly identical and requires only a simple mod to drive the Pre3. The Phono3 is roughly the same mechanical layout, the differences being in the MC transformers. You will need to drill some new holes if you are using an old chassis, but it should be possible to fit everything (I think - I'll have to look closer into this).

Bad news, though, is that Pre3 requires a totally different chassis to the Pre2. You just can't squeeze the ginormous transformers in otherwise. And the relay switching board has to fit directly onto the phono sockets as there's no room for it otherwise. It's just not worth the bother trying to mod the old one.