Solid State Preamp Reviews

Digital Sources: Ayre Acoustics C-5xe^MP & DX-5 universal players; G4 Mac mini running OS10.5.8, iTunes 10, Pure Music 1.74; Shuttle PC with dual-core AMD Athlon processor running Windows 7, Foobar 2000, Adobe Audition 3.0; dCS Debussy D/A converter.
Preamplifiers: Ayre Acoustics K-5xe, Parasound Halo JC 2, Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8.
Power Amplifiers: Classé CTM-600, Lamm M2.2 monoblocks; Musical Fidelity AMS100, Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7.
Loudspeakers: Harbeth P3ESR, BBC LS3/5a, Thiel SCS4T, Audience Clairaudient 2+2, Linn Majik 140.
Cables: Digital: Stereovox HXDV S/PDIF, DH Labs Silver Sonic AES/EBU. USB: AudioQuest Coffee. Interconnect (balanced): AudioQuest Wild. Speaker: AudioQuest Wild. AC: PS Audio Lab, manufacturers' own.
Accessories: Celestion Si 24" speaker stands; Target TT-5 equipment racks; Ayre Acoustics Myrtle Blocks; ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusor panels; Shunyata Research Dark Field cable elevators; PS Audio Power Plant 300 at 90Hz, Audio Power Industries 116 Mk.II & PE-1, APC S-15 AC line conditioners (computer components). AC power comes from two dedicated 20A circuits, each just 6' from the breaker box.—John Atkinson