http://cgi.ebay.com/Mint-Citation-I-tube-preamp-Harman-Kardon-Bob-Carver-/180536274072?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2a08ccec98A classic preamp, revisited and updated by Bob Carver
and
Stu Hegeman
This is Stu Hegeman's masterpiece, arguably the best preamp in the world.
I was just out of graduate school when I met Stu Hegeman for the first time. I was just a kid, and Mr. Hegeman acknowledged that by referring to me as "the kid". I didn't care, as Stu Hegeman was my hero and I was almost emotionally overcome by just being in his presence. At that time I owned a Citation-I preamp and had concluded that it was the best preamp there was. It was early in my career, and I was working at Seattle Radio Supply in Seattle selling audio equipment. We sold McIntosh, Marantz, Fischer, Harman Kardon (Citation), Eico and JBL. My boss allowed me to take any piece of gear home and listen to it for as long as I wanted to. My job was to report back to him and tell him what I thought. Well, my first report was that the Citation I preamplifier was far and away the finest, most musical preamp of them all. I loved it. I was smitten. It's soundstage was enormous. It's articulation knew no peer. It's imaging within that soundstage was stunning, and difficult for me to believe. This all happened over thirty years ago, and Stu Hegeman was still alive. I read everything I could get my hands on about Stu Hegeman, his design philosophies, and his overall philosophical approach to amplifier and preamplifier design.
Fast forward
Fast forward to not so long ago, a time when Stu was still alive. I was at the consumer electronics show in Chicago, and Mr. Hegeman was there pitching his new solid state preamp (Solid state was all the rage and tubes were thought to be old fashioned, a thought that seems ludicrous today). Mr. Hegeman was enchanting and willing to share his ideas with me (the kid). We talked about his philosophy of designing a preamp using gain modules and passive networks between each module. It was this approach that he used in designing the Citation-I vacuum tube preamplifier. He explained that at the time he designed the Citation, moving-coil phono cartridges were virtually unheard of, though moving magnet cartridges were ubiquitous. By the time of our later meeting, moving coils had attained a substantial following and Mr. Hegeman proceeded to teach me how to modify my Citation-I for moving-coil applications. The secret was to use a Telefunken 12AX7 in the front end, modify it for an extra 24 dB of gain, and because the fundamental design was comprised of gain blocks he promised it would work flawlessly. He was right. More on that later...
I could hardly contain myself, and as soon as I got home I preformed his modification (update) and was treated to a moving-coil all-tube phono stage that was absolutely stunning.
This auction
This auction is for a Citation-I preamplifier (of which I have a substantial stash slated from my audio museum. I have twenty-two of them, acquired over a lifetime). That is because I was old when Atlantis sank, so I've had a long lifetime in which to collect them. This unit has been updated and restored to factory fresh condition and new production specifications. The front-end tubes are Telefunken and all of the others are superb U.S. vintage frame-grid triodes, as well as vintage 12AX7's.
Moving coil cartridge
If you have a moving-coil phono cartridge and would like me to preform Stu Hegeman's update to the phono stage, let me know at the end of this auction. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you own a moving-coil cartridge, as it will be a satisfying and delightful treat. This preamp comes with a lifetime guarantee; it's my lifetime, so as long as I'm alive, and it should ever break I'll fix it free of charge if you get it to me. I'll even pay return shipping.
One more thing, I accept any form of rational payment.
-Bob Carver
