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Distinguished and most respected reviewer Martin Colloms of Hi Fi Critic magazine awarded the Glastonbury Pre1 preamplifier an unprecedented 195 points [see here].  This is the highest mark ever for any product since the introduction of the MC scoring system some 30 years ago. This indicates just how impressed Martin is with the Glastonbury Pre 1.

“It’s fairly easy to make a general purpose active pre-amp, yet surprisingly difficult to make an excellent one”

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Sound

“There was no doubt at all about its exceptional musical ability. Ironically, rather than representing a specific ‘improvement’ in sound quality on the part of the Glastonbury Pre 1, this is more of an aspersion on the vast majority of control units, which are nothing like as truthful as this, to put it mildly. On my comprehensive scale, this control unit, as supplied in single-ended form, reached an exemplary 195 points for overall sound quality”…

“To be truthful I found it difficult to lay a finger on its aural performance. Bass lines seemed deeper, more visceral and tactile, more dynamic, and more expressively detailed than usual. The mid was very neutral, highly transparent and well-focused, with very natural high level sounds and most revealing and detailed low level sounds. The high treble was very slightly distant, a really small effect, but remained of excellent quality. Complex material was rendered with impressive differentiation and separation, with very natural and believable instrumental tone colours. It clearly had very good rhythm, and sounded most uncontrived, non-electronic, almost perfectly natural if I can put it that way. Stereo image width, focus and depth were all exemplary.”

Measurements

Most results are so perfect as to not be worth relating…

Conclusion

“Max Townshend has painstakingly exploited auto-transformer technology to deliver a most truthful and non-invasive passive line controller, combining expertise in transformer design, materials technology and advanced conductors. This is one of the most accurate and neutral line controllers made, and at present defines the state of the control art.”