Thomas Mayer Ultimate Line tube Preamplifier NEW

Last year, Thomas Mayer was asked to build an ultimate line preamplifier, that would go even beyond the performance of the single ended 10Y preamp with silver transformers. 
For this new project, the idea came up to create an preamp in absence of all caps from the signal path and to go differential. 
Thomas all explored the idea of implementing the Elrog 300B for this ultimate line stage. He built a prototype with copper transformers and custom OPTVC was wound by Tribute. Outcome was very good, but the 300Bs are a bit more microphonic than the 10Y and would require a more careful selection of tubes.
Final decision brought back the differential concept, build  with the best possible parts in abundance of the silver:
  • Lundahl silver line output transformers
  • silver wound AVCs from Intactaudio. 
  • 3 Pairs of Lundahl LL7903Ag silver line input transformers will be wired for different step up ratios to provide the possibilities of different gain. 
  • plate chokes silver wounded for each of 4 tubes
  • 14 transformers and chokes in total!
  • matched quad of the fabulous 1602
  • special variant of the 10Y

Article: link