I would say one thing missing from your report is the class of the amps. Price aside were they both class A, or A/B? Was one A and the other A/B? Was one tube? Same for preamp. Did one introduce a different set up or were they the same and one just cost more than the other with better materials used? For your experiment to work I would say these factors need to be equal or it is a moot point. Could just come down to the fact you like class A amp sound better than class A/B no matter what the preamp is. Then again I don’t have the details of what you tested.
Best Preamp and Amp combination, interesting finding!!!
Hi all,
Yesterday, I decided to conduct a very interesting experience using my amp and preamp combinations. In the interest of fair discussion and also avoiding brand war, please allow me to conceal the name of the amps and preamps, knowing that both amps and preamps came from the same manufactures. The combinations are as below:
Combination 1 (C1): $3000 preamp + $1000 amp
Combination 2 (C2): $1000 preamp + $3000 amp.
I went back and forth between C1 and C2 several times with multiple people, using the same speakers and DAC. The volume of both C1 and C2 was adjusted to be equal using my Db meter.
At the end of the experience, almost everyone including me prefers C1. Which is a higher-end preamp combined with the lower-end amp.
I was surprised by that finding. I always thought that the amp has a greater impact to sound quality, but my experiment proved otherwise. If you have any similar experiences, please let me know. I would like to understand why it happens that way. Why the preamp has a greater impact on the overall sound quality comparing to the amp?
Yesterday, I decided to conduct a very interesting experience using my amp and preamp combinations. In the interest of fair discussion and also avoiding brand war, please allow me to conceal the name of the amps and preamps, knowing that both amps and preamps came from the same manufactures. The combinations are as below:
Combination 1 (C1): $3000 preamp + $1000 amp
Combination 2 (C2): $1000 preamp + $3000 amp.
I went back and forth between C1 and C2 several times with multiple people, using the same speakers and DAC. The volume of both C1 and C2 was adjusted to be equal using my Db meter.
At the end of the experience, almost everyone including me prefers C1. Which is a higher-end preamp combined with the lower-end amp.
I was surprised by that finding. I always thought that the amp has a greater impact to sound quality, but my experiment proved otherwise. If you have any similar experiences, please let me know. I would like to understand why it happens that way. Why the preamp has a greater impact on the overall sound quality comparing to the amp?