At the end it is the entire system, which makes the music. Of course this is quite obvious but is often ignored. The 10Y preamp is here at home in combination with the Elrog 211 power amplifiers. Preamp and power amps are complementary and show their best performance when used together. The focus is a holistic reproduction. Nothing is exaggerated. The music gets reproduced as a whole. The 10Y makes it easy to concentrate on the music and to forget about technical aspects. If I had to name a key strength, it would be the extraordinary resolution. The 10Y does not miss anything, while everything remains harmonically integrated. Just as in real life. If Martha Argerich plays the piano live in front of us, we have 100% resolution, but we would not think about this. HiFi should be like that. This preamp combines the magic of directly heated triodes with excellent resolution. It sounds natural and not euphonic.

Another important aspect, which I’d like to mention: The preamp and power amps don’t hum, hiss or crackle. Just switch them on and listen to music. Exchange the tubes after a few years. This is how I learned to know the equipment from this manufacturer during the recent years of use. I never had any issues while using them. You also don’t need to worry about replacement tubes. Thomas Mayer has a huge stock of tubes. Nevertheless it might be a good idea to get a small cache of replacement tubes. This is also valid for other manufacturers.

What I did not mention yet: Within this family of tubes are other types, which can be used in the preamp: 10, UX210, 10Y, VT25, VT25A, 801, 801A, VT62 and 1602. A playground for tube rollers. The review was done with a Taylor VT25, a military version of the 10Y. I also tried an 801 with ceramic base and graphite plate from my private collection. This tube is known for it’s low microphonics. This results in an even clearer reproduction with more details. But it can also tend towards sounding a bit cooler, especially with female voices. This is a matter of taste. And lastly I tried a pair of globe shaped VT25. This is the grandpa of the 10Y. These tubes lack the mica supports, which the other types have, hence they are more prone to microphonics. They play with more colour and soul, but also a bit less powerful. A very interesting experience.