Dared SL-2000A

by Dared

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 6 x 5.5 inches ; 12 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 11 pounds
• ASIN: B001T8H40G
• Item model number: SL-2000A
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,329 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 15, 2009

Product Description

This US version preamp is specially designed as "reference preamp" for whom own a high quality stereo power amplifier and anxious to improve musical dynamics and sound space to experience truly live music. It uses two most popular audiophile types of 12AT7 tubes, a 5Z4P (or 5Y3) rectifier tube. It gives excellent linearity and transient response with a great tube tonality. A great preamp with purity of the sound. It uses simple open class-A circuit with a 12AT7 dual-triode tube for two stages of Triode-Single-end (SET) with little feedback. That gives open and natural sound amplification. You will enjoy more tube sonic characteristic from this preamp than other preamps on the market today. So, rolling into your favor NOS tubes, you will enjoy a great dynamics and high resolution in your audio system from this preamp. Extremely low noise level and high output level and very good musical balance due to a special design The SL-2000A does very good job, as the company claimed, offering very flat spectrum from 10 Hz to 20kHz, with which the THD is limited under 0.05%! Especially in the low end of tone (bass), with the rectifier tube it gives very tighten and extensive lows. To those who seek a neutral/natural sound reproduction, the SL-2000A may be a best choice. Yes, replace your Solid State preamp with this Tube preamp, your system shall have a noticeable improvement. Apart from having excellent tube sonic characteristic, it also has very low phase distortion and hence preserves sound stage precision and details very well at any volume level. It is solid-framed and beautifully finished. It has two gold-plated inputs and two outputs gold RCA jacks! All wiring of point-to-point, point-to-board, and path on the board are optimized to be shortest possible. The new SL-2000A model is also designed with a beautiful wooden radio remote control smoothly drives the volume pot (embedded with DC rotary motor drive - ALPS).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Tube Preamp!, August 5, 2009

By 

bbfla (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dared SL-2000A

The Dared SL2000A has gotten plenty of positive reviews, and I can see why.

It is solidly well-built, physically attractive, and -- most importantly -- it sounds really good.

The latest version has two inputs and two outputs, as well as a wooden remote volume control.

This compact, versatile unit is a great way to add some tube warmth and liquidity to your system at a reasonable price. It is often available on the used market for about $300, which is what I paid for mine.

My only minor quibble with the unit is a minor aesthetic one: there's a large unsightly engraving of the Dared logo, model number and -- bizarrely -- a toy-like line drawing of tube etched into one side of the chrome body. IMHO, it is an unfortunate aesthetic blunder on an otherwise classy chassis.

That tiny gripe aside, this little preamp has quickly become one of my favorite pieces of audio gear. I find myself listening to the budget system in which I have it more frequently than some of my more pricey systems.

In short, this little Dared is highly recommended -- especially with some nice NOS tube substitutions!

PS - When I first wrote this review, the retail price was in the low to mid 400's. Now I see it has gone up again to 519. At that price, I'm not sure that it is such a bargain. My advice would be to keep an eye out for a used one in good condition.