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08/01/25 at 21:58:31

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What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)? (Read 273 times)

JHC

Verified Member

Posts: 30

What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
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.

VPI Signature Classic > VAS Shenmu 103 > Tavish Classic > SE84UFO > Omega CAMs

Reference Albums: F♯A♯∞, Life Metal, Nirvana Unplugged, Timewave Zero, Nebraska

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Seasoned Member

Posts: 288

Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Reply #1 - 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.

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Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 26284

Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)?
Reply #2 - 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.

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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JHC Verified Member Posts: 30	Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)? Reply #3 - 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?
Back to top	VPI Signature Classic > VAS Shenmu 103 > Tavish Classic > SE84UFO > Omega CAMs Reference Albums: F♯A♯∞, Life Metal, Nirvana Unplugged, Timewave Zero, Nebraska IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 26284	Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)? Reply #4 - 07/13/25 at 15:54:40 It's possible that some use a preamp to allow for more than two sources.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

Kamran Seasoned Member Sarah Posts: 1192	Re: What's in front of your Sarah (SEWE300B)? Reply #5 - 07/13/25 at 23:56:35 What Lon said. And or use a passive pre with no additional gain.
Back to top	Innuos Pulse Streaming Transport and Phoenix Net Switch-Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC-Ic0n4 Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-ZBIT-GIK Room Treatment—Walnut Pure Audio Project Duet 15 w Voxative PiFe-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners IP Logged

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