Having fun doing some system swapping. I have 5 preamps, to go along with my 6 power amps. When I have used my SLA-30 it has been in my bedroom driving either Spica TC-60 or Focal Aria 906 monitors. This is the first time in many years that I've had it driving my Von Schweikert VR-7 towers. That last time was in a very large room and I just didn't warm up to how it sounded.
Now in a much smaller room, I'm liking it better. Probably at lower volume levels than I was listening to 20 years ago too. Last night I hooked up my old Conrad Johnson PV10A preamp to it. My, it sounds very good. Like a natural combo. The PV10A has extraordinary amounts of gain, listening now at a reasonably loud level and the volume control is at 8 o'clock. With the PV10A there seems to be a touch more detail through the midrange and a touch more warmth in the bass - although detail and control in the deep bass is well short of my SS system.
Vocals are wonderful, strings, piano and percussion are nicely presented with good detail, separation but no harshness. Overall the sound is more seductive but not as tight, with a smaller soundstage. More like a night club. The SLA-30 has never sounded better to my ears.
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