Modwright SWL 9.0 SE Linestage

The 'Signature Edition' adds new upgraded tube-rectified (5AR4) internal power supply. The new supply results in significant sonic improvements over the standard SWL 9.0SE. Soundstage is broader, tonality more organic and overall musicality greatly improved.

In keeping with the ModWright tradition of exceptional value, performance and service, the SWL 9.0SE represents a benchmark for high-performance tube linestage preamplifiers.

Top quality parts are used throughout, including FRED and Schottky diodes, metal film Vishay resistors, ceramic tube sockets and high-quality film caps in the signal path insure exceptional performance. The power supply features a choke input current regulation and there’s a mute-on delay turn-on sequence with soft-start B+ supply.

The unit is voiced to offer a full, fast and accurate recreation of the entire frequency range without being cold or sterile. Bass is deep, tight and authoritative and high frequencies sparkle. The tonal balanced is designed to be precise and detailed without edge or glare. The liquidity and 3-D imaging of tubes is present, without the ‘soft’ or ‘syrupy’ sound often attributed to tube designs.

Technical Specifications

• Tube Complement: (2) 5687 tubes. Dan has designed the circuit around the 5687; a very linear and extremely low noise dual triode used in pure class A.
• Gain: ~15dB.
• Input Impedance: 50Kohm.
• Output Impedance: ~600ohm.
• Frequency Response: 17Hz – 100Khz +/-1dB
• Noise Level: -122dB
• Weight: 25 lbs. (30 lbs. shipped).
• Dimensions: 17.5”W x 12.375”D x 4.75”H.

Basic Specifications:

• (4) stanard inputs (One monitor input), (2) sets of main outputs and (1) tape out.
• Remote control Volume and Mute, Power, Input Select, Home Theater Bypass loop (HT/BP) and tape/monitor loop. Power and input select are not remote controlled.

Design Information:

• Power Supply: Choke input current regulation, DC heaters, discrete B+ voltage regulation.
• Gain Stage: Fixed battery bias, ‘Mu’* type gain/buffer stage.
• Power Sequence: Mute-on delay turn-on sequence with soft-start B+ supply.
• Volume Control: Remote Control Alps motorized volume potentiometer.

Design Philosophy:

• The SWL 9.0SE is designed to offer the Audiophile, World-Class Performance at a Real-World price.
• The unit is voiced to offer a full, fast and accurate recreation of the entire frequency range. Bass is deep, tight and authoritative and high frequencies sparkle. The tonal balanced is designed to be accurate and detailed without edge or glare. The liquidity and holographic imaging of tubes is present, without the ‘soft’ or ‘syrupy’ sound often attributed to tube designs. Use of the very linear 5687 tube and pure Class A circuitry allow for low distortion and exceptionally low noise.
• Top quality parts are used throughout, including FRED and Schottky diodes, metal film Vishay resistors, ceramic tube sockets and hiqh-quality film caps in signal path applications insure exceptional performance.
• *The ‘Mu’ stage circuit type used in the design is credited to Alan Kimmel. Alan was consulted during the design process.

Reviews

"...ModWright's preamp has sportscar-like torque. You needn't goose it to get into its sweet spot...".

"...the SWL 9.0 SE doesn't do anything wrong. If there be subtle sins of omission, they aren't even sins. Significantly more money should buy you something more after all, shouldn't it? So you get fancier packaging and the snazzified all-metal remote, the digital readout with balance control, more texture and suavity and whatever mystique comes from joining a particular firm's image. But when it comes to hunkering down in your favorite chair, dimming the lights and entering the zone? The 9.0SE is easily 90% of what's possible and perhaps even a bit more..." - Srajan Ebaen, 6Moons (Reviewer purchased the review unit)

"...Perhaps the best way I can state my regard for this unit is to say that if I walked into a room with my system playing, and the ModWright was in the place of my reference VTL preamplifier, in the absence of any visual cues I doubt that I would notice the change for a good while. The two preamplifiers seem to me to have more sonic similarities than differences. The SWL9.0SE is easily the best preamplifier I have heard anywhere near its price. In fact, I urge any audiophile looking for a superior line stage to compare Dan Wright's impressive creation against competitors costing three or four (or even more) times its price. It's a winner, and I'm hanging on to this one. There's always room at my place for a great preamp!..." Wayne Donnelly, Enjoy The Music - (Reviewer purchased the review unit)

The SWL 9.0SE earned the blue note Best of 2005 Award, alongside the Wavac PR-T1 Line preamplifier ($30,000) and the Lamm Industries L2 Reference Preamplifier ($14,790), in the preamp category.

"...It provides timbral rightness, sense of space, very good frequency extension, dynamic "heft", quietness, and the convenience of a remote control, all at a reasonable price in today's expensive high end market. It can easily provide the core of a 2 channel system or mixed home theater/2 channel and won't be embarrassed by units costing considerably more..." - Mark Katz, Positive Feedback Online

Mark also gives the SWL 9.0SE the distinction of Reviewers Choice Award for '05.

What users are saying

• Incredible! I didn't think there could be much difference between the beta unit and the production one and I was VERY surprised. Wow, I kept feeding CDs until 3am this morning! - V. Tran – 1.13.05
  
  
• I would like to add my comments.
  WOW!!!
  That's all for now. I've got music to listen to. - S. Jeffcoat – 1.23.05
  
  
• Dan. Your Modwright SWL 9.0 is absolutely a knockout! Best I've heard to date, and i've heard many in the 5-10k range. Great cosmetics, great finish and build, and the sound is explosive, dynamic, and the bass extension is more than I've had with any preamp. Plucked strings are fast and glow as they decay, the shimmer of gongs and cymbals as they are struck and fade away is stunning. Wonderful amount of detail without sounding hard and clinical. Thanks so much. - M. Burhenne - 2.27.05
  
  
• Hi Dan,
  Got the linestage & hooked it up. First thoughts were expletive laced and I rarely curse. It's your fault though as you lied. The production model is not a step up from the prototype - it's at least two steps up! And unbelievable!
  Thanks and Congratulations, Dan. It's an incredible achievemtent. - R. Fontanetta 4.7.05
  
  
• I put the linestage in my system on Saturday. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that within the first 10 seconds, it was obvious to me that the production linestage is in another league from the beta unit. And I thought the beta unit was quite good. I am blown away. And that's without break in. Literally within 1 minute of power on.
  
  One of my favorite classical recordings is Stravinski's "Firebird". I have a Telarc cd of it that I know quite well. I listened to it last night (after about 16 hrs of break in) and I would have believed it is someone told me it was a different recording. I heard nuances that I haven't heard before. Notes that I thought were the same are actually different - revealing subtle melodies that I wasn't formerly aware of. The inner detail is amazing. The highs are definitely more extended, images more palpable, bass is tighter and deeper. It is better in every way. The unit far exceeds my xpectations. I couldn't be more pleased.
  
  I’m building a small statue of you in the backyard.
  
  Thank you for this truly wonderful piece.
  
  W. Breyer – 3.22.05