2. amps-preamps
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Can a passive pre-amp feed a powered sub?

I am looking to find out if a passive pre-amp can drive a powered subwoofer like the Carver Sunfire Jr. The output from the sub's crossover will be used to feed an amplifier powering a pair of small satelitte speakers. Will a passive pre-amp work in this situation?

I don't need switching or tone controls or anything else, so it would be a shame to have to get a active lines stage to set this up. Thanks for the help.
lotusm50
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
F.T. audio's passive pre has two sets of pre-outs, one can feed your sub amp and the other can feed your speaker amp. It's priced at $499. http://www.ftaudio.com/
gasman
42 posts
 
I suggest the Carver Lightstar Direct preamp as the only one I know that can do this trick. It has a passive (balanced) half and an active RCA half. You can use a passive input which will also appear at the active RCA outputs, with as much as 22 dB of gain available, if memory serves. It is a superb preamp, and there is one listed for sale at Audiogon.
jdombrow
371 posts
 
What is your source? CD? Analog? If there's enough signal to drive your main amp (using the passive preamp), there should be enough to drive the amp on a powered sub. You may need to check the inout and output specs of the components to ensure proper matching, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.
lotusm50 OP
31 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. The source is the latest Camelot Arthur v3.0 mk3 DAC. (which I assume has an output of 2V, but am unsure since it surprisingly is not listed anywhere in the manual) I don't really meed 2 sets of outputs since the amp for the atellites will be feed by the crossover outputs of the sub. The satellites sound much better by cutting out everything below 80Hz.
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