2. amps-preamps
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Best Preamp - NO preamp... (?)

A few hours ago I decided to experiment and bypassed my highly regarded, excellent passive preamp and hooked up my PS Audio DSD DAC directly to the power amp.
There is no going back...
Every aspect of the sound has improved so dramatically that I'm simply blown away. I'm a bit shocked, playing CD after CD and I still can't believe it.
My phono stage has gain control as well, so it seems that from now on it will be disconnecting RCAs and plugging each in turn.
Since I usually do vinyl day or cd day (or week) anyway, the trouble seems totally worth it. Letting the cable settle in for a bit is not an issue.
Am I just crazy or are any of you doing the same?
Should I be concerned about damaging  the RCAs over time?
Thanks for your thoughts and experience. :-)
ami

Showing 3 responses by czarivey

czarivey
5,946 posts
 
I know people like to torture themselves.
Diving underneath your rack and taking off one set of plugs, hooking up the other set of plugs to switch components seems insane and unnecessary.
What you're explaining indeed is you simply got rid of passive preamp in order to use active line stage of the DAC or phonostage.  Active drive is almost always better because tonal balance is easier to achieve in almost any volume setting... So my solution would be finding inexpensive active unit such as Cary AES or McCormack RLD would bring you even to higher performance level than you having with your current source units.

czarivey
5,946 posts
 
ami, very simple to understand in terms of simple math:

usually in dedicative active preamp the volume control is substantially better also applies to the rest of sound quality or characteristics. the minimalistic units i've mentioned may even use smaller signal preamp path than your source components believe it or not. if your source components have 'direct' option bypassing volume control, than you should at least try out active preamp for the beginning found as a loaner at your local or nearest high end electronics retailer. 
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
Dear ami,
Hi-Fi transparency can only be relevant to and very often at the price of tonal balance and dynamics. 
RE: What is "better"? that is something I can't argue with. If you like the specific distortion or the coloration that a component introduces, then by all means, go for it. I am on the search for "Hi-Fi" - transparency and not coloration. I am of the opinion that if you need to add a preamp to make up for your speaker's deficiencies, you should be looking for better speakers.

You can't be sure unless you compare the transparency of preamp vs. your source device directly to amp. The fact that you've chosen to use your source components directly instead of passive preamp speaks for itself that you like more active drive vs. anything else posters offered.
That's where simple math kills all the science behind.


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