The Grounded Grid pre amp is a very light unit and simpleTube pre amps are very touchy to the sequence to powering up and the Grounded Grounded is no exception to this rule.
I found my EAD Encore to excel in it's musicality and not touchy to powering up.
Bruce Rozenblit (ower) sells direct and will give you a 2 week trial
but will not reveal to you that his VISA carrier will charge you 3.3 % from the original cost of the pre amp if returned, so be for warn of poor business practices from a electrical engineer and not a truthful business man.
4 star for sound
0 for a lack of good business practices

I just want to say that many of us up here could learn a lot from Bruce Rosenblit. In fact he has two books out that make for fascinating reading. His background in the power distribution industry gives him a unique perspective on the physics of what he practices--designing some of the best value for the dollar audio equipment available.
How it's available is also fascinating. He's attempting to go it alone and sell direct, not at inflated list prices, but at true "no middle man" prices, and as someone who has represented 150 software dealers in Eastern PA, I know ho hard it is to do business "outside the channel".

So, with virtually no distribution, little advertising budget, a completely open approach to publishing the details (and schematic diagrams!) of his patented designs, and extremely inspired and almost revolutionary products such as OTL amps, push-pull sweep tube amps and a grounded grid preamp, he deserves more than just a casual acknowledgement. He deserves to be fabulously successful. He is the embodiment of what audio--indeed electrical design--in America used to be and may never be again if he and others like him, if there are any, cannot survive. Me, I'm saving for one of his OTL Stereo amps, as I have Electro-Voice Marquis 16-ohm speakers and OTL amps love high load impedances. I can't wait.

Bravo, Bruce Rosenblit. Five stars for you and Transcendent Sound.

http://www.transcendentsound.com

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This is Bruce Rozenblit from Transcendent Sound. The statements concerning my businesses practices are completely false. The poster recieved my preamp several months ago and wanted to return it after just a couple of days saying he couldn't tell much of a difference from what he was currently using. As soon as I got the unit back he started emailing me as to why his credit card balance was still there. I informed him that I refund by check because I get hit with a 3.3% surcharge on all charges and credits. He misinterperated my message as meaning that I withhold an additional 3.3%. He blew his lid and sent a barrage of nasty messages which I ignored. A couple of days later, he got the check for the full purchase price and then sent me a message stating he was sorry and confused. I have the cancelled check to prove it. Now he slanders me on the Internet.

Detail, ease of use, simplicity, quietness, transient response

None really

No sense echoing all that has come in previous reviews. I've just finished building the kit version and I can't leave my music room. I have the GG mated to Bruce's OTL mono blocks and I just can't believe the difference from the AVP. Just pure music, natural and clear. Extreme presence.

I highly recommend the kit for anyone who is interested in building their own gear. It's a steal either way.

Similar Products Used:

Proceed AVP

I'd like to say that in the sort time I did have the Grounded Grid I felt it compared to many hi priced PreDac'sI now have the EAD Ovation but the Grounded Grid kept right up there in clarity smoothens and 3D quality of reproduction next to my previous EAD Encore model Pre/DAC.
When I wrote my first review it was before Bruce Rozenblit came through with a surprising full refund including the postage which completely threw me, to Bruce Rozenblit my apologies for a quick judgment of a great preamp

Recently, I had the chance to compare my Audible Illusions Modulus 3A preamp to the Transcendent Grounded Grid linestage. Now, at about $2,300, the 3A is one fine tube preamp, as many will attest. The Grid, on the other hand, costs $800 and has received virtually no publicity- save for a nice "Soundstage" review that can be read at transcendent.com. So it wasn't a fair fight, but I figured since the Grid came with a two-week, no-strings-attached trial, it would be good for a laugh. And it was--but not in the way I expected.
The 3A has bells and whistles: two sets of outputs, tape loop, phono input and a half-dozen other inputs, plus dual stepped attenuators to control both volume and channel balance, and an outboard power supply. In contrast, the Grid is the soul of simplicity. One output. Three inputs. A volume pot. A faceplate that would put LED addicts into shock.

The test: two weeks of listening with a variety of music that ranged from Lyle Lovett's "Joshua Judges Ruth" to Handel's "Water Music". (Associated equipment included CalAudio Labs, DH Labs connects, Belles 150A amp,and Acarian Alon II speakers--not outrageous gear, but decent for the bucks. Nordost Pulsar Power Points were used to isolate both preamps, and the Grid was plugged in with an Audiodyne power cord.)

Here's what I heard: First, the 3A is a very quiet preamp with NOS tubes. But the Grid is noticeably quieter, almost dead silent right out of the box. The 3A has a wonderfully clear high-end. But the Grid 's mid- and upper-range performance was just as good. Soundstage's reviewer gave the Grid a slight ding for bass response, but I found no fault there--if anything, the Grid bass was just tighter. The 3A displays a warmth that is pleasing, but artificial. I never realized that until I heard the Grid. With it, some vocals became just a bit more distinct and tonally realistic. In fact, the Grid makes vocals and instruments absolutely lifelike. The 3A could throw a slightly wider sound stage, but the Grid held a decided edge on stage depth. The most striking difference was the Grid's transient speed--a term I've often run across in reviews but never really understood until I heard the Grid. Is sound quick through the Grid? Ever seen lightning?

I did encounter one problem with both the Grid and the 3A. The CalAudio CD changer has an unusually high output, which made adjusting the volume difficult at low settings. When I consulted Bruce Rozenblit at Transcendent, he offered to install a buffer on one input at no charge. I don't know what Audible Illusions would have suggested, since they failed to return three e-mails and a phone call.

So what's the catch with the Grid, if it equals or tops an audio industry darling at one-third the cost? As I said at the outset, it's a minimalist piece of equipment. The design is both amazing and affordable, and that's also its beauty. If you need a dozen outputs or an HT processor, look elsewhere. (On the other hand, with the money you save on the Grid, you could also put some respectable HT gear on the shelf.) When it comes to two-channel high-fidelity the way it was meant to be heard, the Grid will put a grin on your face.