Well, here I go with my 2 cents... I have a complete Cello system (Mark Levinson's last "cost no object" company that went out of business and is now being resurrected). Instead of using an active preamp, Cello or otherwise, I use a Cello passive attenuator called an "Etude". The unit has 4 selectable inputs to one output (all RCA). The attenuator (volume control) is the same hand-wound 60 position dial as found on their $20,000 Audio Palette. With the exception of the Audio Pallette, I have not heard any active preamp that I like better than the Etude, and I have tried quite a few! To my ear, active preamps always seem to put a veil over the speakers. The passive attenuator adds no coloration nor removes anything from the music. Providing you have sufficient gain comming out of your D/A (or whatever source you are using) and impediance is not an issue, passive gets my vote! Ken G.
CD direct to amp vs active preamp
How many of you folks have ever tried running your digital source with a built in "high grade" volume control directly to your amp and compared that to the digital source feeding your active preamp and then the amp ? I am just curious as to the results and if you noticed any major differences. Obviously, we would have to add not only the preamp, but also another interconnect to make all of the connections. If you've done this "test" with a passive or buffered line section, feel free to join in. Sean
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