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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
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Message started by JHC on 07/07/25 at 20:58:16

Title: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by JHC on 07/07/25 at 20:58:16

I have read through a bunch of Sarah reviews (and looking at signatures) and the design log concerning using the Sarah with a preamp and other gain/amp stages. Wondering what current Sarah users are putting before their Sarah. Preamps? Zrocks? Step Up Transformers for vinyl? Something else? Nothing? And how they have been thinking about the Sarah's preamp integration as part of their overall system.

Title: Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by MM on 07/07/25 at 21:48:17

There’s a topic related to this here: https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1704245086

I run my DAC straight into Sarah. I’ve worked hard to have a simple, clean, resolving system and I haven’t heard a piece of gear that improves SQ more than the additional circuit detracts, in my system in my room.

Title: Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by Lon on 07/08/25 at 00:00:49

I need a ZBIT in my system and have a ZROCK3 (and have found the ZROCK components to be essential). I have those before my SEWE300B, but no other preamp--I did run a CSP3 with all the mods at first. but find that Steve picked just the right preamp stage for this amp (in this sense it's really an integrated amp) and I prefer the sound without the CSP3.

Title: Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by JHC on 07/13/25 at 14:05:36

Hi Lon, MM, thanks for the feedback. It seems that the Sarah's preamp does the job. Interesting that some of the reviews outside of the Decware forum seem to include preamps. I wonder if that is just lack of understanding of the design process? Or maybe just a will to have a preamp?

Title: Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by Lon on 07/13/25 at 15:54:40

It's possible that some use a preamp to allow for more than two sources.

Title: Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Post by Kamran on 07/13/25 at 23:56:35

What Lon said. And or use a passive pre with no additional gain.