Switching flexibility,lots of buttons and knobs to play with

Thick undetailed sound. poor soundstage, mid 70s mid-fi sound

I was initially disappointed when I got this preamp. I kept waiting for it to break in and warm up, but it never sounded better. I regretted selling my Van Alstine preamp which was far more detailed, transparents and natural sounding.
I am grateful to this preamp in that its poor sound compelled me to start modifying audio equipment. This preamp is a good unit to start on because it has big heavy circuit traces.
I am an electronic technician and I have seen Apts cross my bench. They invariably get the same problem. The Electrolytic signal-coupling capacitors used between the phono and line stages fail. It would be very wise to replace all of the mediocre grade electrolytics in the Apt with Panasonic HF electrolytics from Digi-key.com. Bypass every one of them with a 0.01uf Panasonic P series polypropylene cap from Digi-key as well. You will notice a distinct improvement in openness and detail.
The Apt will sound better if many of its electrolytic coupling caps are replaced with 10uf mylar caps, but space is very constrained within the preamp.
Permanently, bypassing the tone section will also improve the sound, but many people buy the unit for its tone features. If you are patient, replacing the steel ribbon cable that connects the two boards with quality stranded copper wire does improve the sound and retains the tone section.
This unit is good as a control center for a conplex system but it is in no way a state-of-the-art stereo preamplifier.

Similar Products Used:

Van Alstine Pat5, Cary SLP72, Sunfire Classic Tube

Excelent phono preamp and optional Moving Coil Pre-Preamp. Great tone controls, and imaging control. There is never a phase inversion from any input to any output.

Output muting relay prone to failure.

Warning: Biased Review - I worked for Apt.

I listened to thousands of these things. In fact, from 1979 to 1981 I personally listened to every Apt product to roll of the assembly line in Cambridge Mass. That was my job, to listen to every unit after 2 stages of electronic testing just to make sure they all sounded and felt perfect even though they had passed rigorous testing and tweaking by talanted electronics techs. Let me tell you, if I could hear any sounds while banging on it with a rubber mallet or working any control I kicked it back to the techs. I made sure every step on the volume control was perfect, that no clicks occured when switching sources, that the knobs lined up, that there were no cosmetic flaws, and that all the jacks were free from intermittancy. If you turn your unit upside down, you will probably see my initials - JG on the bottom of the schematic. They just don't make them like that anymore. Mine is over 20 years old and has never been serviced.

The unit is worth as much to me now as it was when it was new. I would not hesitate to buy one used for the full retail price if that is what I had to pay. If you are serious about listening to LPs or are in the process of archiving your LPs to digital format, get one of these.

In the last year of operation the company was owned by someone other than Tom Holman and Frank Kampman and they started to offer upgrade mods which made it sound better. If you have the mods, it should be indicated on the bottom.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 1020.

Flexibility, ergonomics

None

Excellent, especially considering its age. I've had mine since new around 1980. Had to clean the output relay contacts once, and replace one of the phono input FETs. Other than that, utterly reliable. Slightly dry sound - not as sweet as the absolute best (or a good passive control). But no tizz or stridency. Listenable hour after hour. Still a relevant design.

Similar Products Used:

Dyna PAT5, McIntosh C30, Hafler, passive volume controls

Superb phono section; very low noise floor; input flexibility; blend control is great for headphone listening

None of consequence, although sometimes the muting relay sticks.

It is time for me to put in my opinion about this superb product, of which I now own three versions. I purchased my first Apt Holman new in 1980, along with the Apt One power Amp. More recently I acquired an additional unit that had been reconstituted (new capacitors and other mods) by Vince at Audio Pro Service in Watertown MA, and a third unit that had been heavily reconstituted (new capacitors and new Vishay resistors in the signal path) by its owner. The unit with new Vishay resistors sounds the best, with an extremely low noise floor and an exceptionally clean sound on all inputs. It is a tribute to its original designers and manufacturer that the Apt Holman has maintained its standing as a truly pre-eminent audio product. It was built well enough to accommodate upgrades and modifications popular today, due to the quality of its circuit boards and switches and controls, which almost never need repairs. Even the headphone op amp circuit sounds good, especially when upgraded with a more modern op amp. What a classic -- my thanks to its original designers and builders!

Similar Products Used:

Dyna PAS3X; McIntosh C26

Good phono section, good tone controls; excellent tape dubbing section; fine upper midrange;

No bass; not much gain. Sounds come out with a 'tunnel' effect. No bass; little high end.

I wanted to use this a a temporary, fill-in in my home theater system.until my Odyssey pre-amp arrived. The rest of the system consists of:

ATI-1502 AMP
AKAI GX-682 Tape Deck
Technics 1250 Turn Table
Madisound Odin Speakers
ZuCable Oxyfuel interconnects
XLO Signature interconnect between amp + pre
AcousTech phono pre-amp
Kimber 4TC speaker cable

The sound that resulted can only be described and compressed and hollow. I tried both the external and internal phono pre-amps, and actually the internal sounded a little better, although, overall, the sound can only be described as very transistor-edgy. I also noted that the amp did not have much gain, becuase to drive the Odins (88Db @1W), I had to set the volume control to 1 o'clock.

When an old Dynaco PAT-5 arrived, I decided to A/B with the same setup. The result: a world of difference. The AcousTech pre-amp really shone through. The sound was full and glorious, as I expected it would be. The PAT-5 sounds as good as many of the present day, very pricey, pre-amps.

To summarize: The Apt Holman is a good competitor in the mid-fi, pioneer category. It doesn't handle the problems associated with transistor audio circuts. If you want a bargain, go with the Dynaco PAT-5.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaco PAT-4 and PAT-5

The original Apt Holman preamplifier is one of the most versatile, well engineered preamplifiers ever produced. Twenty years after production, I still at amazed at how well thought out it's design is. It sound great with superior shielding between sources. It is a great mix of solid engineering, useful controls and great sound quality. Search this one out, you will not be disappointed.

I'll add my $.02, in case others are thinking of seeking out one of these pres.I've been interested in this preamp since reading about it in The Audio Critic some 20 years ago, and I finally found one for $200 used (excellent dealer, BTW, name of Rick White).
For LP users, the phono section alone is worth what I paid and more. I'm hearing details and nuances on 30 yr. old LPs that I don't hear on year-old Chesky CDs. Highs are simply wonderful--sweet and clear, with no trace of overload, and bass is taut, clear, and convincing even on headphones (Grados).
For headphone users, this pre has the most useful set of controls I've ever seen. You can actually get a realistic soundstage by just manipulating a few switches.
More than enough inputs and outputs, including TWO phono, two aux for CD players, and two tape. A generous power cord (alas, not removable). Nice construction and fit/finish, marred only by the dinkiest phono ground I've ever used.
As the previous reviewer said, this one is worth seeking out.

Solid, musical, flexible

the power switch has stopped working

I just want to echo the sentiments of the other reviewers and add that it is very solid, it has a tremendous quaity about it. Someone once told me that it had been manufactured to aircraft instrument specifications (in terms of qualtiy) I intend to dub all my tapes and LP's to CD using this machine. My only dissapointment is the power switch. Does anyone have any experience with this problem?
Is it mechanical?(In other words can I open it and fix it myself?).

Similar Products Used:

various Yamahas and Heathkits

great phono section, very neutral sound, well built

not the most attractive packaging, no longer in production

I've had this pre-amp for 20 years and have trouble finding anything to equal its musical performance for less than $2000. I have not had the problems described by other reviewers with noise; when no source material is playing, it's still silent with the volume cranked up. My son will probably be using this pre-amp when I'm pushing up daisies.

Similar Products Used:

Bryston circa 1981

Superb Design, Transparent Phono Stage, excellent control flexibility

Not trendy nor expensive enough for other audiophiles

This Apt Holman Pre-amp, from 1979 is just simply the best phono section ever constructed out of solid state electronics. The guy below who complained about the soundstaging, and that it was "flat sounding" was probably just unable to appreciate the sound of a unit who's price lacked a 4th digit left of the decimal point. It also has a great deal of flexibility in the controls, and the audio inputs and outputs. It is, simply, all of the audio pre-amp anyone will ever need. I use this, along with a McIntosh MC2120 to drive the main speakers in my dual purpose Home Theater + Audio system and it is simply SWEET. The Apt Holman/McIntosh Tandem has the transparency of good tube gear, for a fourth of the price, and two orders of magnitude MORE reliability.

(FYI, for HT, I'm running the surrounds and Dolby decoding out of a Harman Kardon Receiver).

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood Audio Purist C-2, McIntosh C-26, various receivers