Best Sounding Passive Preamp

Not spending a lot? go for creek OBH 10 www.creek.co.uk Going for a kilobuck killer? Look for a Mc Cormack TLC in the seconds ad it should be in the $550-$700 area but is capable of outperforming most amps 2x or 3x the price.One note though with this preamp.It operates either passive or active.When in passive mode...do not disconnect power cord,many Mccormack users have found this to have an effect on the outcome on the system. Passive Preamps are also tricky with interconnect matching.

I've owned the Creek, Adcom passive control unit and McCormack Line Drive Deluxe & TLC and for the money ($150 "used")the Adcom is great (if you can find one). However, by far the best passive pre amps I've ever run across are made by Reference Line. A Preeminance I, series II or III will run about $400-500 used while the top of the line Preeminance II will run around $700-800 used. You can also find them with a remote volume control. Make sure that the unit has the stepped attenuator and direct input. I bet you will be floored by the dynamics, detail, and robust but easy sound of these units. You may not WANT your active line stage back. See Stereophile, Volume 20, No.7 for a review. A few cautions with any passive. Make sure your source components have a low output impedance (under 200 ohms is best), your cables aren't wierd (like MIT with their little boxes)and fairly short, your immediately down stream component (x-over, amp or whatever)has a reasonnable input impedance (20K ohms or more)and finally you have enough overall gain in your sustem to get the volume you want. Good luck!

I agree with 1953, the Reference line gear is top notch. As noted above make sure your gain is adaquate. Good listening!