sean
nice comments
sean wrote - "Between the lack of gain and loading problems, this might account for the majority of "lacking dynamics / tonal & timbre mismatch" situations mentioned. After all, if introducing a preamp into the system makes it sound "better", you have either corrected the above mentioned deficiencies OR added colouration to the amplification chain that is more to your liking."
many purists would like to point a finger at preamps as adding to the signal. I for one think a very neutral dynamic preamp is the single most important piece in the system, maybe baring speakers. My own preamp upgrades have been significant, and made th emusic more involving and dynamic. Are we dealing with colorations? I tend to go as tonally balanced as possible and key into acoustic instruments - pianos, acoustic guitars, sax. Knowing the tonal qualities of guitar and piano from playing them, if something doesn't sound right, I don't want it in my path.
That said I think many blame the preamp for coloring the signal but then buy a power amp with it's own colorations.
I haven't gotten the tube power amp bug, and don't want to go there. A neutral tube preamp and a well done solid state power amp is a good combo in my book.
I sometimes record discs to my nak tape deck straight from the source and it never has the depth or detail it has compared to running the source through the preamp. Cheaper volume controls and less regulated power supplies don't quite cut it, subtle, but give me my preamp anytime
tom
