| From my understanding, these ART pre-amps aren't really tube pre-amps in the class-A sense. I believe that the pre-amplification is actually solid state. The tube is just there as an effect. It's not really doing the pre-amplification. It's merely adding warmth to the sound when you dial it in. I will say that the interior of the new ART Gold looks better than the old ART Pro MPA which I like the sound of. The transformer is beefier and the circuits are laid out a little more nicely. The question is whether or not it's a good idea to pack a pre-amp and an A/D converter in the same box. In my experience, the digital apparatus will hash up the power supply and slightly degrade the sound of the pre-amp. You got to keep 'em separated. |