I have had this preamp for over 20 years and have had no interest in changing or updating it. Sound, performance and reliability have all been outstanding. What keeps me loyal to this classic piece of equipment is the wonderful functionality (three tape loops)and the superior neutrality of the sound it produces. I think Tom Holman is a genius for producing this design.

Excellent engineering, rock solid controls, straight forward design

None.

I have had the pleasure of owning this equipment for about 17 years. This classic gear was designed and built when "they knew how to build things...". To this day, this pre amp still outperforms 90% of all pre amps made today, regardless of price. To put it simply, it's as good as it
gets. If you should be fortunate enough to locate and acquire this piece, you will never buy another pre amp again.

Similar Products Used:

Apt Power Amp

Pass this one on to your kids, hand built quality, what goes into the pre-amp is what comes out, very musical!

None encountered yet....???

I remember reading about the Apt a long time ago! I wanted to audition one and never made the time nor found a dealer back then............. I purchased this unit (grey) with orginal paperwork, box etc. The man who I purchased it from bought it from his best friend a few years ago. When it came it was packaged better than a new one...... Anyway the man hated to part with it.
I immediately hooked it up and put the tuner on first (Rotel) the sound was great it was more open than ever before. I was happy! Next was the CD, (Rotel) RD-855, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Amy Grant, BAD (Big Audio Dynamite), the acoustics that Stevie laid down, Amy's vocals, and BAD industrial sound was more involving...... I also do not have the words but I have the feelings inside, there was "MORE SOUND THERE" than before.
Since that time a couple of months now I have listened religiously........ I seem to find more in all my music.
I kept messing and messing and then finally I hooked up my direct drive old Sony turntabe with the orginal Shure Type IV....... so a few albums and yea that was good, I remember that that was good. Kept waiting for the phono stage to blow me away...... it never did! Then last night, got home it had been raining.... crumby outside!!!!! you know one of those crumby days outside.....
I went downstairs to my old basement looking for more records...... I had purchased some $.49 at Best Buy about 3 years ago... and put em on....
Stevie Wonder, Tears for Fears, Sade, Miami Vice sound track.
Well I am here to tell you the phono stage blew me out!!!
I was up past midnight, I usually go to bed around 10 because of the time I have to rise in the morning....
I have a friend coming over this evening, he thinks CD's are it....... wait till he hears Stevie Wonder on 33rpm.
The sound was unbelievable!!!
If you have albums and a good mm cartridge you won't believe how it will transform your albums.....
I am happy folks, I need a good belt drive! I need a new cardtige or do I?
Anyway it will stay with me, there is no trading this one.
If you have the opportunity to listen to one, do it, you'll buy it.
I need help, I have two moving coil cartridges but am unable to understand the manual on how to set it up..... If there are other owners out there that could help me please write me at caseyconnect@juno.com (please).
Remember this design is by T. Holman, have any idea what the TH in THX stands for. The man knows and this preamp is a testiment to what sound should be. As they say, It might not get better than this!!!!!!

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Rotel, Hafler, PR Audio satellites, Klipsch KSW-12 sub, Analysis Plus cables

Rock solid construction, crystal clear sound, solid switches and components, functionality, gorgeous-simple design, cool "eyeball" switches

Only that they don't produce this fantastic preamp anymore. A loss for all audiophiles.

I have had this preamp since it was manifactured in the late 1979. I personally have had over ten amplifiers hooked up to this unit, from 70 watts per channel to over 500 now. This is one fantastic preamp. I haven't had any switch problems of any type. The sound is absoultely clear... there literally isn't any "sound" from the preamp at all (In theory what preamps are suppose to do!). The selector knobs have absoultely no "pop" when you chance component sections. Quiet and solid in every way. I have run several cartridges through the phone section and have been just as impressed as the other reviewers with this piece of equipment. If you can find a clean and well taken care of piece, grab it, you WON'T regret it!

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Hafler, NAD, Audio Research, McIntosh