Audiophilepure

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0626/Nagra_PREAMP_II_S_Review.htm

One might assume that because this Nagra preamp was powered by tubes, it should have sounded tube-like. Not so. Even when I squinted my ears to hear these characteristics from the Preamp II-S, I could not detect even a hint of “tube sound.” Its presentation sounded neither like a tube nor a solid-state preamp. The Preamp II-S sounded like an outstanding preamp. Period.

I suppose there was one trait of the Preamp II-S that made it sound a bit more tube-like, but this was a positive: it was the II-S’s ability to maintain a dynamic distance between sounds. When two instruments or voices were located in the same place in the soundstage, not only could this preamp separate the two sounds, but it also made their volume differences much more audible. Its dynamic distance gave rise to an almost indescribable ability to hear “behind” each sound. I’ve also heard this trait in some very high-quality solid-state components, but it’s more common in tube-powered equipment.

Near the end of the review period, I swapped out the Nagra Preamp II-S for the other in-house linestages, those that I listed earlier in the review. These linestages were all very high-quality components, but when I returned to the Preamp II-S, it seemed to have all the qualities of these other components, but enhanced their traits significantly. These refinements were true regardless of which trait I was considering.