Simaudio MOON Evolution P-8 Reference Dual-Mono Preamplifier, Stereophile Class A

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Flagship preamp from Simaudio from the late 2000's, and about the best modern preamp you can purchase.

Super neutral, quiet, and full of features. Plus I just love the large display that you can see across the room.

Last retailed for $16,000.

Comes with the very high quality original Simaudio remote control, and a set of optional coupling feet to join the power supply to the controller. Also included are the special "umbilical" cables used to connect the two units.

From a Stereophile review by Kalman Rubinson:
From first power-up, the Evolution P-8 performed faultlessly and impressively. It was, by far, the quietest preamp I have ever (not) heard. Even with my ear to a tweeter and the volume full up, I could hear absolutely no difference between Standby and Operate. In other words, any noise that the P-8 might generate—and nothing is completely silent—was much lower than that from any of the power amps I played it through.

Even more impressive, to me, was the precision of the volume control. While setting up to do some acoustic measurements with the Goldline TEF-25 analyzer, I set up its calibrated microphone at the listening position, fed pink noise through the P-8, and went to adjust the level, when I discovered the strangest thing: The output on the TEF-25's readout matched and tracked the P-8's readout within 0.1dB over a 20dB range! The fact that the readout was the same as that measured in the room was a fortuitous fluke—that is influenced by the electrical sensitivities and gains of all the components, as well as by the room acoustics. However, the fact that these levels tracked each other so precisely is a high compliment to the P-8. This kind of accuracy is a rare and satisfying thing, and indicates that the P-8 is a well-designed and superbly made line preamp.

Conclusion
The Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8 reminded me of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat. When the Cat is conversing, or when I use the P-8's controls, either is engaging company. Otherwise, their corporeal representations fade, each leaving behind only its most notable feature. In the case of the P-8, that was the sound of the music (and the smile on my face). The P-8's not-inconsiderable price of $11,000 deters me from making any statements about its value, but I could find no fault with its operation or its sound. For this time and in this place, the P-8—especially when paired with the W-8—is as good as it gets.

From our SkyFi YouTube Channel:

Click below to add our recommended matching cables from Kimber Kable, all brand new as SkyFi is an official Kimber dealer.

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Best

Please see our last photos or the linked manual below for full specifications:

Simaudio MOON Evolution P-8 Reference Dual-Mono Preamplifier - Manual

The SkyFi Testing Process for Preamplifiers:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

When we first power on a preamplifier we connect its RCA output to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface. The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope. We then switch to a 1KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment. Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve. If the preamp under test has balanced inputs and/or outputs these are tested as well.

We finish up our bench testing with a listening test with our bench amplifier and reference speakers. During this test we check for hum or hiss that may not have shown up in earlier testing. We also check that all of the tone controls and filters perform as expected. If the preamplifier has remote control functions these are also tested. Preamps with tube circuits or complicated power supply topologies are connected at our long term test rig for extended stress testing under real world conditions.