Compared with the new P-5 that I just got, this is still an outstanding product characterized by its transparency, detailed soundstage and precision giving natural sounding voices and instruments. No gimmicks. I liked very much the EAR 834L, but the P-502 was so close, a little more detailed and the remote so useful that I opted at the time for the used Simaudio. If you can find a used P-5002, don't hesitate.

Poor recordings may sound terrible as this preamp shows everything. You need to have the corresponding quality source, quality amp and cables to really appreciate the quality of this unit. The new P-5 has slightly more dynamics, more details, seems smoother, but the difference is not enormous. See Stereophile for the rave review.

This was the top of the line preamp from Simaudio before the P-5 and is a look alike and comes in two beautiful sturdy units as the power supply is separated from the preamp. CLass A. Check their website at www.simaudio.com older products section for more details.

Similar Products Used:

Simaudio P-5, EAR 834, I use the W-5 amp the Sony superaudio SCD 777ES and B$W 801, NVA speaker cables (not easily found) and Siltech balanced interconnect cables