I'm curious to know how beneficial is a preamp with the Zen Triode. Also, does anyone can comment on the ZTPRE? Surely it sounds good but the price is quite high compared with the Zen. Thanks all for your opinions.
-Lutry

I have a possibly non-standard set up here: my sources are balanced and I run them into a ZTPRE, and then from there to a ZBIT to a ZROCK2 and then a CSP3 with the 25th Anniversary Mods and then to a pair of SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the 25th Anniversary Mods and then to a pair of HR-1 speakers.

I love each of these components and I have tried to do without one or both of the preamps and each contribute to making the overall sound improved and the totality is a tremendous sounding system. The sytem can sound great without either or both of the preamps, but the preamps add another wonderful layer to the sound.

The beauty is that you can start without a preamp and then build from there if you can and wish to. The amp with the right speakers is the essential foundation. Get that right, work on excellent sources, and then if budget allows. . . put one of the preamps in front of the amp.

As for the ZTPRE and the CSP3. . . the ZTPRE is really a "purist" preamp. The solid state rectification is perfectly chosen and eliminates variables. The gobs of gain really are transparent and transforming of the sound (gain riding between source, preamp and amp is a magic with Decware components that shapes the sound). Mine has the remote added which is a great boon as are the dual controls (only adjusted individually by hand). The CSP3 is a more flexible preamp that with its adjustability of input and output gain is even more of an exhilirating gain riding tool, and with its tubed rectification and the ability of mixing input and driver types a tonally morphing machine. I love having them both. With my source setup the ZTPRE would be THE ONE I would keep if I only could have one, but I choose to have both for the increased richness and flexiblity.