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Hi all
I'm very curious about Dan Alexader preamps. I don't think I've ever come across such mixed reactions; some saying they're very badly built, others saying they are amazing. Apart from that, all I know is that they're Neve 1272-ish

I don't know if they are the preamps I'm looking for, but the price is great. I'm really just curious given that I've heard so many different things about them.

Thanks
John

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moonbaby Wed, 08/17/2005 - 09:45

Hi, John!
I am surprised that nobody has responded to your post yet. Dan Alexander is certainly a colorful character in this business, to say the least. Just look at his website! I have a friend in Atlanta who has a 2-channel pre. He says that he likes the sound of it when he wants a tranny in the path, and "a bit of aggressiveness and girth" in the sound. Certainly not pristeen, like a Grace or a Millennia. He said that the power supply had given him some trouble but that he fixed it (no details were given). I would suggest that maybe you contact Mr. Alexander at his website and ask for referrals and their contact info. When I want to know more about a vendor or manufacturer, that's what I request from them. If no reply, screw 'em! There are plenty of folks out there doing what he's doing,eh?

John Stafford Wed, 08/17/2005 - 13:34

Thanks Moonbaby 8-)

What really interests me in these is that opinions vary so wildly. I've come across reports about failures and build quality over on Pro Audio and elsewhere, but in fairness to DA, if he is using salvaged Neve parts there could be a trade-off. I think his approach is commendable, but for me reliability is particularly important as I live in Ireland and would be importing from the United States -there can be difficulties with customs when something comes back into the country after being fixed abroad. Combined duty and tax is 24%.

Thanks for your input :D
John

moonbaby Wed, 08/17/2005 - 14:29

You know what I like about this particular website? You get input from folks from ALL over the globe, and I'm always learning something new. I didn't know that customs could be THAT much of a pain. You should definitely steer clear of DA gear (hey, that rhymed...!). With all the clones on the market, that shouldn't be a problem, anyway. Good luck in your searching!

John Stafford Fri, 08/19/2005 - 16:03

Hi Moonbaby
Yeah, importing can be a real pain. Tax is 22% and duty has to be paid on top of that, but thankfully that is only 2% extra on this type of equipment. I'd advise anyone, regardless of where they live, to check duty rates. Nasty surprises can happen anywhere in the world. The worst example I can think of for Americans is the 100% duty you would have to pay on importing cashmir from the European Union. You just never know when you're going to get a nasty shock.

John