Hi Tom,
Excellent suggestion!

I would add the Timestep T01EQ to that list (and any other commercially 
available unit made since the last review). The unit was mentioned by 
Dave Cawley in a previous post. I checked out the link he posted and it 
looks very interesting. I would also be happy to throw my hat in the 
ring as one of the reviewers. I have the test gear and know how to use it.

Cheers!

Corey
Corey Bailey Audio Engineering
www.baileyzone.net

On 4/17/2015 5:15 AM, Tom Fine wrote:
> That's another preamp that should be in an ARSC "bake-off" panel 
> article in the ARSCJ! This would be a great update to old ARSCJ 
> articles about now-defunct devices like the OWL.
>
> At about US$6770, Ted's Mousetrap is on the high end of pricing, below 
> the LOC Preamp but above other competitors mentioned so far.
>
> Having done some equipment reviewing, I think this bakeoff is 
> feasible, perhaps something to propose to the new ARSCJ editor when 
> they get up to speed. Each company would be invited to submit a unit 
> for review. The units would circulate among review-panel members, 
> perhaps a month loan at a time. As always, the reviewers would need to 
> be responsible for proper packing and shipping, and not breaking the 
> units. Perhaps there would be some ARSC grant money to cover the 
> shipping among reviewers? One reviewer should subject the units to a 
> series of tests against published specs and other such things 
> (hopefully this will be of interest to Gary Galo, because he's set up 
> to do this sort of thing). Using the units on actual working projects 
> would be great, but it's also completely OK to use a set of known 
> discs and compare results. The panelists should make audio files to 
> illustrate examples they discuss in their reviews.
>
> This would be a great service to ARSC members and the disk-transfer 
> community in general. Take a scientific approach, including rigorous 
> testing, but also have first-hand accounts from disk-transfer experts 
> on how these things actually perform on the firing line.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Hallifax" 
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 6:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] "Best of both worlds" disk preamplifier
>
>
>> I reckon Ted Kendall's Front End pre-amplifier (AKA Mousetrap) 
>> fulfils just
>> about all the criteria mentioned. It's a beautifully hand-crafted 3u 
>> device
>> with 2 phono inputs, balanced inputs and outputs pre-, and post-eq. 
>> It also
>> incorporates Packburn-type noise reduction side chains that are 
>> easily be
>> switched out of circuit. I believe a smaller, stereo version, without 
>> the
>> side chains is under development.
>> It's well known and used by serious archivists in the UK (EMI sound 
>> archive,
>> Abbey Rd, CHARM - King's College London, British Library etc). 
>> Personally,
>> I'm thoroughly convinced of its sonic neutrality, and never hesitate in
>> recommending it for transfer projects I'm involved with. It's in another
>> league to much of the competition as one might infer from the hefty 
>> price tag!
>> More info here http://www.tedkendall.com/mousetrap.php
>>
>>
>