help choose between two preamps

[kzeprf22]

Hi folks,

I am totaly new to tubes. I want to use two a tube preamp, and I am between a vincent SA-31
Vincent Audio - SA-31 Hybrid Stereo Preamplifier-Audio Advisor

and a Xiang Sheng 728A

Audio Amplifier > 728A > Hefei Xiangsheng Electronic Co. Ltd > 728A

Can you comment in either not taken into account the price.

Thanks

 

[Shoog]

It is impossible to make a meaningful comment without seeing the circuit and implementation. A case and review can tell you nothing.

Shoog

 

[analog_sa]

Not necessarily 🙂 The Vincent is probably a reasonably nice unit while the Xiang Sheng has tone controls, 1% distortion, 50k output impedance. Can it get any worse?

 

[Glowbug]

How'd you arrive at those two units?

There's a ton of stuff out there...a budget would help narrow things down 🙂

 

[Mr. dB]

Not necessarily 🙂 The Vincent is probably a reasonably nice unit while the Xiang Sheng has tone controls, 1% distortion, 50k output impedance. Can it get any worse?

The Vincent has tone controls too.

 

[kzeprf22]

How'd you arrive at those two units?

There's a ton of stuff out there...a budget would help narrow things down 🙂

both are cheap enough. Canyou sugest anything else?

 

[Glowbug]

Would you want to build a kit, or are you just looking at pre-built stuff? A Bottlehead Foreplay III comes to mind for a kit...or an Aikido (Google TubeCAD).

Or for stuff already assembled, I'd lurk on Audiogon 🙂 I bought my last few line stages from there, lightly used equipment is a really good deal. I was able to try out things I'd never be able to afford when they were new.

 

[Shoog]

It would be difficult to find a unit to compare to an Aikido. No whole kits unfortunately, but easily stuffable boards. More satisfaction and the money can go where it matters - decent volume pots and capacitors. Any bought item for under a grand is going to be let down by components.

Shoog