Would love to try that one day. A cool comparison would be MC1 + M20 preamp vs M21 using the built in volume control. It’s a pricey piece of gear but I do really like that company.
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Are there ways to figure out if a pre and power from different companies might make sense? Nothing’s guaranteed obviously but what should one think about when researching?
Input sensitivity, it’s quite possible to end up with a pre with too much gain which makes it annoying to use.
Input and output impedance scan also matter, but most active pre’s it’s not really an issue.
The somewhat shorter version, you want to hear the pairing with the source in question, or your just rolling dice.
It’s kind of like finding the right husband or wife… or partner. You have to date; and hope you find the one that makes you feel complete.
Bumble for pre-amp and Amp matches 
What are you trying to solve in this scenario?
Hey guys, I’m looking for a preamp to replace my Benchmark LA4. Any suggestions?
That’s a very linear and clean sounding preamp. What are you looking for in your next pre? Different? More of the same? And what is the system around it?
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I’m currently comparing with a khozmo and the khozmo sounds a little more open and diffuse without necessarily losing details. I’m curious if there’s anything else to consider out there.
Holo red → directstream → LA4 → Galion A20 → Atalante 5
A passive autoformer based pre?
Yeah, I’ve considered an AVC for a while now. The directstream has a transformer based output so I was worried a passive might not play as nicely but the Khozmo seems fine. Normally active pres don’t have as many compatibility issues but the new icon 5 dual looks pretty nice. It is quite a bit for the silver windings though.
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Someone on headfi was selling a diy Dave slagle copper autoformer.
Intact audio’s Dave slagle pres come up for sale occasionally on USAM
How are the Atlanta 5? They recently caught my eye, do you have the matching stands too?
Have a look at Coda, they have two options at very different price points. Yet the used market on them when available are quite attractive.
Here us the CP, which includes a phono stage. They also make an identical version called the CB without phono stage. The second model is the 07x.
I’ve tried the Benchmark and the Coda maintains the transparency yet adds a more natural/richer character without polluting your source.
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I’ve considered the coda preamps heavily but have seen people move from coda to benchmark without looking back. So at best, there are mixed reviews on it.
From what I’ve found, preamp shopping is kind of a crap shoot. The LA4 is probably the most consistent in terms of feedback. I don’t think it’s the best but a solid choice. Anything after will have to be preference based.
That’s kind of why I’m considering an avc. I know a handful of guys who swear on them and the khozmo is as good if not better than the benchmark. The only issue with an avc is the price. 
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That’s interesting and somewhat surprising, I say that with an obvious bias.
What kind of chains did they run? There’s a thread on WBF where some folks liked the LA4 for certain pieces of gear such as using the Benchmark power amp, which makes sense in terms of brand continuity. Those same people tended to favor the Coda when using a speaker set up or other power amps such as the Coda models.