A pre-amp to match my VTA ST70?

In the process of building a VTA ST70, deciding on a kit pre-amp that will match. I looked at the SP14 and it sounds great except the information did not sound like it had instructions for noobees like me. I have finished a few kits, but really don't know much about electronics - just follow the (good) instructions and get great support when I screw up. Any suggestions ? Any particular technical issues I should look for to match to my VTA ST70?

To play devils advocate... I suggest trying it with just a volume pot and a pair of efficient speakers while your shopping around. Its 270K input impedance is very forgiving.  I used one like this for awhile with a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls and it was cheap, simple and sounded great.

Get the DACT type stepped attenuator from Tubes4Hifi. Sounds great, looks OK. I might look for a nicer aluminum volume knob. I used one on my VTA-120. Sounded great, but neither my CD Player or DAC seemed to be able to drive my VTA-120 to full volume. Still permitted the VTA-120 to get louder than my wife really appreciated . I would get the attenuator even if you go for a preamp kit -- nice to be able to control your volume until you get your PreAmp built.

My experience with Kit pre-amps.
First I built the Akitika PR-101. It has good instructions and Dan was easy to work with. I was cheap initially and bought the kit without the remote. Which actually has controls for the remote, just not the remote. So I bought the remote later and was glad I did. I really like this pre-amp. It is very neutral and has a few features that I really like.
* Remote. Didn't think I'd like that but I do
* Optional phono board. Very convenient. It's adjustable for your MM cartridge. The only downside is that you need to open up the preamp to make adjustments.
* switchable pre-amp outputs. I use one output for my Van Alstine moded ST-150 and the other for my VTA mod Dynaco Mk-II's. I could run both at the same time if I want but don't have bi-amp speakers
* defeatable tone controls.

My next kit is the Slider by Transcendent Sound. This is more involved because it is all point to point wiring rather than populating circuit boards. I've been busy and haven't finished it yet. When I do work on it, I don't make as much progress as when I built the Akitika or did the VTA mods. It does have pretty good step by step instructions and Bruce has sent out updates to the instructions as he identifies. I think I got one of the first units. By now his instructions should be shaken out.

The Akitika is all solid state. The Slider is all tube with a tube phono stage as well.

tommyC7 wrote:In the process of building a VTA ST70,  deciding on a kit pre-amp that will match.  I looked at the SP14 and it sounds great except the information did not sound like it had instructions for noobees like me.  I have finished a few kits, but really don't know much about electronics - just follow the (good) instructions and get great support when I screw up.  Any suggestions ?  Any particular technical issues I should look for to match to my  VTA ST70?

You should expect that the SP14 kit to be no more difficult, or lacking in instructions, than your ST-70.  And VTA provides full support.  If you want to build a kit,  you couldn't do better than the SP-14.

I built an Elekit TU-8500 (bought from tubedepot.com) earlier this summer, and am using it with my ST70 (with VTA octal driver board). Sounds great, and it's an excellent kit - super well engineered with great instructions. It has a tube line stage (2x 12AU7) and a very clean MC/MM solid state phono stage.

I have an assembled PR-101 with remote for sale.