Preamplifiers

Preamps

McIntosh, Dan D'Agostino, Octave, Burmester and MBL — tube and solid state, on demonstration.

The preamplifier does the least obvious work in a system and sets more of its character than anything else.

It selects a source, controls level, and hands the signal to the power amplifier. Almost nothing, described that way. But the volume control is in the signal path at every listening level, the gain stage sets the noise floor for everything downstream, and the output stage has to drive whatever cable and amplifier it meets without complaint.

This is where the tube and solid-state question is decided, more than at the power amplifier. A tube preamplifier ahead of solid-state amplification is one of the oldest and most durable answers in high-end audio, and both approaches are set up here to be compared directly.

The component you notice least is the one setting the character of the whole system.

How to choose a preamplifier

The volume control is in the signal path at every listening level, so how it attenuates matters more than the spec sheet implies — particularly if you listen quietly. And check output impedance against your amplifier's input impedance before committing, especially with tubes. A mismatch there thins the bass permanently.

Dan D’Agostino Relentless Z Preamplifier

The Z evolution of the statement preamplifier — three-chassis, dual-mono, with a reimagined Z JFET output stage matched to the Relentless Z amplifiers.

Dan D’Agostino Relentless Preamplifier

Relentless preamplifier — dual-chassis, fully balanced Class-A design; the reference-tier control for D’Agostino’s Relentless system.

Dan D’Agostino Momentum C2 / C2Z Preamplifier

Momentum C2 preamplifier — pure balanced Class-A gain, dual-chassis option (C2Z); D’Agostino’s current reference preamp platform.

Dan D’Agostino Progression Neo Preamplifier

The Neo-generation Progression preamplifier — Z JFET input stage, Dual Domain Hybrid volume, 66% higher rail voltage. The line is on demo in Tempe.

Dan D’Agostino Progression Preamplifier

Progression preamp — balanced Class-A gain stage, dual-mono power supply; D’Agostino’s modern reference at accessible entry.

Dan D’Agostino Progression Neo Preamplifier Digital Streaming Module

The optional streaming DAC module for the Progression Neo Preamplifier — HDMI eARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and native streaming.

Burmester 249 Preamplifier

Burmester’s Reference Line control stage — fully balanced dual-mono X-Amp, relay-switched attenuator, DC to 300 kHz, 116 dB signal-to-noise.

Burmester 808 MK5 Preamplifier

The fifth generation of Burmester’s most storied platform — the X-Amp fully balanced preamplifier that has anchored Reference Line systems since the 1980s.

Burmester 077 Preamplifier

The compact Reference Line preamplifier — the 808 family’s X-Amp fully balanced dual-mono topology in a smaller chassis. On demo in Scottsdale.

Burmester 088 Preamplifier

Burmester’s Top Line control stage — fully balanced dual-mono, DC-coupled, optional upsampling DAC or phono module. On demo in Scottsdale and Tempe.

Burmester 035 Preamplifier

Classic Line preamplifier — balanced XLR signal paths and Reference-family topology in Burmester’s most accessible control stage.

McIntosh C1100 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

The two-chassis tube preamplifier that led the McIntosh line from 2015 to 2022 — twelve vacuum tubes in a dual-mono design, controller separated from audio.

McIntosh C12000 Preamplifier

A two-chassis reference preamplifier offering both solid-state and vacuum tube output stages — choose the character source by source. On demo in Scottsdale.

McIntosh C2800 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

McIntosh’s current reference tube preamplifier — the single-chassis successor to the two-chassis C1100 lineage. On demo in Tempe.

McIntosh C22 Mk V Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

The fifth generation of the C22 vacuum tube preamplifier — classic McIntosh retro fascia over current analog circuitry. On demo in Scottsdale and Tempe.

McIntosh D1100 Digital Preamplifier

McIntosh’s reference solid-state preamplifier — analog preamplification, digital-to-analog conversion and network streaming in one chassis.

McIntosh C55 Preamplifier

McIntosh’s flagship single-chassis solid-state preamplifier — sixteen inputs, the DA2 digital module included, an eight-band equaliser and subwoofer output.

McIntosh C49 Preamplifier

A solid-state preamplifier one tier below the C55 — 13 inputs, the DA1 digital module, and defeatable Bass and Treble controls. On demo in Tempe.

McIntosh C8 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

The entry-tier McIntosh vacuum tube preamplifier — five analog inputs, defeatable Bass and Treble controls, optional DA2 module for digital sources.

McIntosh CR106 6-Zone Preamplifier / Audio Matrix

Preamplifier and audio matrix in one 2U chassis — six zones, four analog and four digital inputs, and Dante linking of up to five units for thirty zones.

Octave Jubilee Preamp SE

Reference tube preamp — SE-generation successor to the 1998 Jubilee Preamp with new PCB, film resistors, and input transformers.

Octave HP 700 SE Tube Preamplifier

Octave’s reference tube preamplifier below Jubilee — Class-A output stage to 1 MHz, 0.001% distortion, modular inputs. On demo in Scottsdale.

Octave HP 300 SE Tube Preamplifier

Octave’s mid-tier tube preamplifier — the SE evolution of the HP 300 MK2, with an external power supply, three-level gain and balanced XLR outputs.

MBL 6010 D Reference Preamplifier

Der Vorverstärker — MBL’s Reference Line preamplifier since the 1980s, seven trimmable inputs and two output groups. On demo in Scottsdale.

MBL N11 Preamplifier

The Noble Line preamplifier — seven analogue inputs, MBL Unity Gain, and the stepper-motor analogue volume control used in the Reference Line.

MBL C11 Preamplifier

The Cadenza Line preamplifier — seven analogue inputs and balanced XLR output, with an optional MC phono module or a further XLR input.

Trinnov Amethyst Stereo Preamplifier

Trinnov’s stereo flagship — a Roon Ready preamplifier with Optimizer room correction, active crossovers, a 24/192 DAC and a network renderer in one chassis.

Choosing a preamplifier, in detail

The preamplifier does the least obvious work in a system and sets more of its character than anything else. It selects a source, controls level, and hands the signal to the power amplifier. Almost nothing, described that way — but the volume control sits in the signal path at every listening level, the gain stage sets the noise floor for everything downstream, and the output stage has to drive whatever cable and amplifier it meets without complaint.

Attenuation method matters more than the specification sheet suggests. A stepped resistor ladder or a transformer-based attenuator behaves differently from a conventional potentiometer, particularly at low listening levels where many systems actually live. If you mostly listen quietly, this is worth asking about specifically.

This is also where the tube and solid-state question is genuinely decided, more than at the power amplifier. A valve preamplifier ahead of solid-state amplification is one of the oldest and most durable answers in high-end audio. Check output impedance against your amplifier's input impedance before committing — a high-output-impedance tube stage into a low-impedance input will thin the bass, and no amount of listening will fix it.

Hear these in Scottsdale and Tempe

Preamplifiers reward careful comparison because the differences are small until they are not. We keep tube and solid-state designs from McIntosh, Dan D'Agostino, Octave and Burmester on the floor and can swap one into an otherwise unchanged system — which is the only way to hear what a preamplifier is actually contributing.