rgf343

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $425.00 from eBay

Summary:
Have tried quite a few preamps., both S.S. and tube, e.g. Audio Research and B.A.T.. The PAS-4 is a well designed and built preamp. that sounds great as is. However, get rid of the 6922s in the line section, replace with a matched pair of Russian 6N1Ps, Cyro treated, from Tubeman, and, if you don't use LPs, take the phono tubes (12ax7s & 6922s) out of the low level section (unit will run cooler). Most preamps. won't allow use of 6N1Ps to replace 6922s because of increased filament current needed, however the PAS4s regulated power supply handles this without difficulty. Upgrade the power cable to 16 ga., polish the chassis (so it will go faster and look impressive), let unit warm up for a couple of hours and you will experience a preamp. that will definately blow your hair back, assuming you have good equipment to utilize with it. Sound is extremely clear, distortion is reduced, low frequency transients and ability to access frequencies in the bottom octave with absolute authority, along with smooth, extended high frequency output is nothing short of phenominal. Dynamic range is outstanding. In my opinion it would take a class of preamps. costing several thousands just to match what this is capable of with these minor changes, don't forget to polish the chassis for reduced wind resistance. If you can locate one my advice is grab it when you can, hopefully you will be as pleased as I am. rgflato3@hotmail.com

Strengths:
Low price, very good quality build and design. Outstanding sonic capability with very minor alterations. Tighter low frequency than most S.S. and more transparent mids/highs than most tube preamps. Overall, an excellent preamplifier.

Weaknesses:
Factory tube recommendations do not distinquish this preamp. and upgraded power cable required to improve performance.

Similar Products Used:
Audio Research, Sony, B.A.T., P.S. Audio, Adcom, etc.

Price Paid:  $599.00 from soundbug1@aol.com

Summary:
Had a Superphon pre for 14 years - wondered what I was missing in tube pre's. Bought a vintage PAS-3 - tho lacking alot, the midrange was alluring. Not wanting to spend much $$, I found the great reviews here at AudioReview to be convincing. Found SoundBug1 on ebay, bought a retubed B stock PAS-4 for $599.00 (Tel 12ax7's in phono and chrome knobs). Tell ya' what..I've heard many other tube units in past year or so and the PAS-4 is good enough to stand on its own against any I've heard. The Russian Sovvies are good..I upgraded to Russian Military Rocket 6H23. Clearer, smoother - a little less dynamic. The Sovtek 12ax7LPS are as good as any - save your money on pricey NOS tubes. Hook the rig up to good filtering (mine thru PS Audio PP300 and Ultimate Outlet)and upgraded cord (real benefits)and distance with megabuck units becomes quite small. Tho it's called a Tube preamp, buffering makes it more dynamic and less euphonic than all tube units. In reality, it's a hybrid unit rather than all tube. Makes it better to my ears. Put it on good stand/isolation, sorbothane or akin equipment points, give it air to breathe and your a happy dude with the music.

Strengths:
Seemingly well made, rack width, simple/handsome design, built-in phono, IEC jack (yes, upgrade the power cable and you'll be rewarded), lots of facilities, subwoofer output,thick PC board, minimal wiring within (very point-to-point). I'd love to know who developed this pre - they really know their stuff for the price.

Weaknesses:
No headphone jack, cheap RCA jacks (corners had to be cut somewhere!), no remote, ss and some tube amps quieter, nothing special switches and potentiometers, not quite as dynamic as many solid state, not quite as transparent as many hi-$$ ss and tube pre's. Price considering - nothing damning for me.

Similar Products Used:
Superphon Dual Mono (upgraded by Stan Warren), Conrad Johnson Sonographe SC22, Hafler Series 915, NAD 3020, Dynaco PAS-3. Can't not give it 5 for Value and 5 Overall.

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Price Paid:  $350.00 from JMSOUND

Summary:
Smoothness,finess, and good detail are what I like about this used Preamp I bought. I haven't changed tubes yet but soon to be done. Well currently I am using a Sony XA7ES CD player for the front end, Sonic Frontiers SFM-75 Tube Mono Blocks with KEF C80 speakers. I listen to a wide mix of music, except "RAP". This preamp even made my Rotel RMB-1095 sound more fluid without that hard edgy Transistor sound. My main focus was to build a Tube based system for less than $2000.00. Sure the Dyna is not perfect, I like the C.J. preamps better for detail, refined harmonics etc. but have you checked new C.J. prices lately? The Dyna Pas 4 then is a terrific bargain. I love it on female vocals, and Solo Acoustic Jazz Instruments best. I always wanted a Dyna kit to build, but missed out on that, so I guess this is the next best thing. I almost bought a Bottlehead Preamp kit. I hear they are great, but the lazy person in me made the Pas 4 the only choice. Musically satisfying, and affordable, and terrific way to take the edge off CD and Solid State. Try one out and see if it is right for you. It was for me. Highly Recommended BARGAIN.

Strengths:
Affordable tube performance,Phono Stage included,dual direction tape dubbing.

Weaknesses:
Yes, no Headphone stage, but I have other gear that handles that hurdle, maybe I will get a tube Headphone amp too.Not the last word in refinement, but what do you want for a bargain pre anyway?!

Similar Products Used:
NAD,LUXMAN,Rotel,Harman Kardon,Sony ES

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Price Paid:  $500.00 from J and R Music World

Summary:
I purchased the Dynaco Pas4 because I wanted to approach analog sound with primarily a CD system. The Pas4 took a couple of days to break in. The sound was fantastic. It was clean, transparent, uncolored and neutral. It definitely softened the sound of my CDs as only tubes can. After about a year, I retubed it with Mullard 6dj8''''''''''''''''s and Telefunken 12ax7''''''''''''''''s. I would have to purchase a preamp in the 2,000 - 3,000 range to get the sound that I am now getting from the Pas4. The soundstage is huge. Its a shame that Panacor is no longer engineering Dynaco equipment. If you can get your hands on a Pas4, do it, you won''''''''''''''''t be sorry. The value is excellent for the money.

Strengths:
Durable construction, quality components. very transparent, neutral, and dynamic. Value is well above price!!

Weaknesses:
No headphone jack and Standard power cable.

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha c1 preamp, Soundcraftman preamp

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Price Paid:  $480.00 from eBay

Summary:
This preamp made a huge difference in my system and in my wallet. I plugged it into the power amp section of my NAD 3140 and immediately noticed a big upgrade in the soundstage. It seemed bot wider and deeper. It was so amazing, that I knew I''d have to upgrade the rest of my 20-year-old system. I had always wanted Dynaco equipment, but they folded just about the time I was putting together a system. It was good to see the Dyna logo again. I did have a lot of hum problems. I had to do a lot of cable swapping and moving. It seems prone to hum pickup. There is also crosstalk between the Tuner and CD inputs on my system. I have to turn off the satellite system when playing CDs. I swapped out the Chinese 12AX7''s from China with vintage three mica GE 5751''s. I may switch them back, because the GE tubes seem to roll off and soften the high end too much. I think that it was designed for Russian tubes and it sounds best in my system with a tube producing a brighter sound. The former Dynaco technician I bought it from says that the 6N1P tube is the best to replace the 6922, but I haven''t tried it. Those pull more current, and this unit runs very hot. The transformer gets hot enough to use as a hotplate. They used high quality components, but I''m hoping the heat doesn''t roast them. You could probably find a quieter preamp, but this has an excellent soundstage and a smooth sound. My 3140 preamp must have slowly deterorated over the years. I swear the imaging wasn''t that bad in the early days. This preamp deserves an audition if you''re looking for a tube unit. It''s about the cheapest way to get into good tube sound unless you go with the Antique Sound Lab equipment. This is a very modern design with an excellent appearance. It looks like the expensive units I couldn''t afford in the old days, much better than the old Dynas. My system: FR MC-201 moving coil NAD 533 turntable Dynaco PAS-4 ODL HT-2 amplifier Nakamichi CR-1A cassette deck Pioneer CLD-D604 laserdisc player (also plays CD''s) Infinity IL-40 speakers This system now sound so good that all I need is another CD source and I''m set until I''m too old to hear

Strengths:
Imaging, soundstage is wide and deep, appearance, price, works well with cheaper Russian tubes (in my system) so you don''t have to pay $25 each for slightly used Telefunkens

Weaknesses:
Prone to hum pickup, crosstalk between tuner and CD inputs, runs very hot, case has a lot of screws that make tube rolling difficult unless you leave it off all the time

Similar Products Used:
NAD 3140 Integrated Amp

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