Touching excellence



PS Audio 4.6 Preamplifier with External PSU



I wore a lot of hats over two and a half years as the retail sales manager of PS Audio, but one of my absolute favorite jobs there was to take visiting customers around for a tour.

We started each journey at the “museum,” right by the door leading into PS Audio. An old gramophone and Paul and Stan’s first phono preamps occupy the first area, highlighting PS’ humble beginnings.

The next shelf shows PS Audio stretching its legs into the power amplifier market, and the next beyond it features external power supplies and preamps, and the beginnings of source offerings like the first Data Link DAC and hot-rodded Phillips CD players.

Of all of the PS Audio components in years past — there are a massive number, as PS have been in business a healthy 44 years — there are two that I heard more about from customers than any others: the 4.6 preamplifier and the V (5).

What I heard was that these preamplifiers were not only relevant today, but still quite competitive. The idea of an external power supply was novel back then, and still common today in high end designs.

Well, I’m finally getting to spend listening time with this PS Audio 4.6 (the museum models at PS Audio no longer work) and I have to agree. And, like quite a few audiophiles out there still rocking this machine, the ability to switch on and off the gain is useful, clever and informative.

Also like those guys I generally prefer the “straightwire” setting with no gain, but only by a small margin. I think bass grip might be a touch better with the “high level” gain selected, at a slight expense of high end honesty.

What’s amazing to me is this 4.6 preamp and its matching 4.5 external power supply are in great condition, still noise-free and still magical.

Paul McGowan, CEO and co-founder of PS Audio, has always touched excellence with his designs, from the first models to the latest. Want proof? Give this vintage PS Audio 4.6 a try. Sound quality alone puts this in the high value category for me, because what I’m hearing is really, really good.

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