Active pre-amp for “difficult” music (fusion)

The amp has balanced & un-balanced inputs. For Balanced, are you referring to the XLR pin assignments?

Its more than that. If the amp supports the balanced standard, its input will ignore ground. If it does not, ground loops can result. That is something balanced operation is supposed to prevent.

@atmasphere The amp has balanced & un-balanced inputs. For Balanced, are you referring to the XLR pin assignments?

Since that is a balanced input on your amp, you might check and see if the preamp you are considering supports the balanced line standard (AES48). If yes, the interconnect and input impedance of the amp will be no worries, if no, the interconnect will have to be chosen with care and you should check with the manufacturer if it can drive the input impedance of your amp.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll just need to try a few pre-amps out and see how they sit with me and my system. I had not intended to use a tube line stage, but am intrigued by the Modwright SWL 9.0 or LS100 pre-amps. Any considerations/reservations there with my system?

I used to believe that too, but you should listen to the Metrum Acoustics Adagio or Jade, or the Empirical Audio® line of DACs, either of which control the volume by adjusting the reference voltage - no lost bits and VC outside the signal path.

@mitch2 I saw a DAC that did that at RMAF a few years ago. Great idea- and I was excited about it, but the unit gave me a headache. It had been some years since digital stuff gave me a headache (its been getting better and I've been getting older...) so I left the room less than impressed. Sounds like the reference voltage wasn't the issue there. That's a nice approach!

@atmasphere 

IME you are better off running the DAC's control all the way up and then using the line stage volume control instead.

I used to believe that too, but you should listen to the Metrum Acoustics Adagio or Jade, or the Empirical Audio® line of DACs, either of which control the volume by adjusting the reference voltage - no lost bits and VC outside the signal path. 

The idea that any sort of electronics is better at one genre of music as opposed to another is entirely mythological. What makes it good for rock or classical will also make it good for fusion. I had one person ask me what amp was best for down tempo 80s.... IOW fugettaboutit- just get the best preamp you can.

BTW many digital volume controls subtract bits from the signal, resulting in lower definition as you turn them down. Newer controls are better at this but its still a thing. IME you are better off running the DAC's control all the way up and then using the line stage volume control instead.

A clean and clear sounding pre like the LTA MicroZotl (any model) would do the job.And some good uncolored cabling.

Are you sure it's your equipment?  Many fusion albums are just poorly recorded.

I love fusion. My Linear Tube Audio Micro ZOTL Preamp checks all of the boxes. The MZ2 and MZ3 are also very good preamps with fewer bell and whistles.

The weak link could be the "volume controlled DAC."  That is a hard thing to pull off successfully without degrading the signal.  I am using Metrum's Adagio DAC, which controls the volume by adjusting the reference voltage so the control is outside of the signal path.  Steve Nugent does the same thing with his Empirical Audio® line of DACs.

Both of those solutions are well above your price point.  In addition, even at the relatively high cost level of the Adagio, I have found my system sounds better by running the signal from the DAC through a high quality unity-gain buffer before the amps.

If you believe you will be satisfied with the sound quality coming from the volume-controlled DAC you are considering, one option would be to add a buffer such as Tortuga Audio's tube buffer ($1,500) or the Pass B1 buffer ($-various).  Another option would be to purchase a DAC that does not control volume and then purchase a preamp that does what you want.  There is an interesting looking DIY  Transcendent Sound grounded grid preamp with a Goldpoint stepped attenuator at US Audio Mart now for $600, as just one example.  Another consideration is Tortuga Audio's new preamp ($3K) which is a combination of their LDA volume control and their tube buffer.  There are many possibilities but be aware the (non-buffered) passives such as the Luminous Audio Axiom II mentioned previously may not do what you want with respect to drive and body.  Read the passive vs. active threads here for more information about that issue.  

older arcam and rotel preamps are nice and exciting to listen to.the arcam more real and full sounding with weight and authority the rotel more lively open freshly bright and pleasant ,very fast but not much weight or bass impact both were fun with fusion.pass labs is on another level(and also price level) 

I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with your basic premise. Any preamp, or any other piece of gear, that FAITHFULLY reproduces “sonically dense, and busy (with) many overlaid, high impact, sonic layers competing within similar frequencies” will only make “sparse airy music by Norah Jones” sound even better. I suppose the reverse may not be true, but I would stay away from preamps that are romanticize music to that degree.
Having said all that, for your preferred music genre, I like the Pass Labs recommendation. Good luck.

I use a passive, Luminous Audio Axiom II with Walker Mod, 3 in, 2 out ( single ended ), with remote, and it is the cleanest I have had in years. Bested some excellent preamps I owned.

Look at an older Pass labs. Super cleans and great PRAT.