Best Sounding Passive Preamp

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!

I haven't heard any commercial passives besides the Chase RLC (a great choice for you, incidentally, and I've seen one listed, Audiogon or Audio Shopper, for $60). But if you want to MAKE a passive that will (maybe) make you want to sell your active preamp, get in touch: nicetom@sonic.net. It's easy to make a passive for a few hundred dollars that SHOULD be better than virtually all commercial passives, and I qualify this only because there are so many I haven't heard. Inferences from parts quality are seldom wrong, though.

Thanks to all for the info.

I have the Chase RLC preamp. It has a remote control and 4 inputs with balance, mute, bass and treble all controled by the remote. Stereophile mag gave it its blessing as being transparent. If u have a preamp without a remote control, u can connect the Chase into the tape monitor and then u will have a remote control of ur volume!