2. amps-preamps
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Eliminated my preamp with amazing results

I pulled my preamp out completely. The result's were not subtle. 

For those who stream music only... I was going from my laptop... to my DAC...to my preamp...to my amp. My preamps ONLY function was volume control. Source control not needed.

I started using Audirvana recently which comes with it's own high quality 64 bit volume control that was far better than the potentiometer in my preamp. It dawned on me that I could control volume using Audirvana and plug my DAC directly into the amp and bypass the preamp altogether. (Roon and Jriver also have excellent volume controllers) Note: Audirvana has an app download on a tablet/phone so it acts like a remote control. I'm loving it!

This not only eliminated the preamps volume control but it took out ALL the electronics associated in a preamp including some cables. A FAR more direct route. However, you must use caution and make sure the volume is controlled properly in the software since the amp will be fed wide open volume.

Having experimented with 'passive' preamps in the past (McCormack TLC-1) I thought the sound would possibly lose dynamics and bass response would suffer. WRONG!

The results were...Shocking!! Immediately the extended depth of the image was noticeably deeper. Background darker. The highs are the best I've ever heard. Pristine. The bass was dynamic, tight and most of all 'textured' in a way I never heard before. As I stated earlier the results are NOT subtle! 

This is an experiment that took a few minutes to set up and yielded the best performance improvement of ANY other tweak I've ever tried. Not anything like using a passive preamp.

Equipment used...  Peachtree DAC-itx. 

                               Preamps...McCormack TLC-1 and Melos tube preamp.

                               Amp is McCormack DNA 0.5

Understand that different components will have different interactions with each other. Your results may vary. However, IF you don't like it, it takes just a few minutes to put the preamp back in the system. Nothing to lose and lot's to gain. After hearing this, I will NEVER go back to using a preamp. 

Good luck!

 

 

gdaddy1

Showing 5 responses by mitch2

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

My preamp set-up is a unity gain buffer, so I get the benefit of controlling the cables without adding gain. 

On the DAC side of things, some manufacturers are addressing the gain issue by including optional lower gain output settings, like with the Benchmark DAC3 HGC and the Tambaqui I recently had here.  My SMc DAC-2 only outputs 2V so does not require anything more than my unity gain set-up but also does not overwhelm the amplifier input.  The third DAC I have here outputs 4V, which means I use a slightly lower volume control setting to achieve the same sound level.

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

@erik_squires nailed the purposes of a preamp and, while preamps may be vestigial, the impedance advantages they offer, not gain, are likely the reason for the improvements that some report hearing compared to driving their power amplifiers directly from a digital device.

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

Adding a DeHavilland Ultraverve 3 preamp took my system to a new level, adding body and fullness

@pdreher 

Did you ever try adding the DeHavilland Ultraverve 3 or some similar preamp when you were running the Weiss 202 DAC direct to a Music Reference RM9 MK2 amp?  Is it possible you didn’t realize the level of “body and fullness” you were missing?

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

As others have said, report back in a few weeks and let us know if you still like the direct set-up better.  Also, I am curious, are you running the direct (unbuffered, i.e.,  purely passive, volume control only) outputs from the TLC-1 or going through the buffered outputs.  I believe the buffered outputs provide unity gain, which should not result in any loss of dynamics and/or bass response.

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

I have owned multiple discrete resistor passive preamps/volume controls, two autoformer preamps/volume controls (Acoustic Energy Jay-Sho and Smart icOn 4Pro), and two DAC-based volume controls that adjusted volume by changing the reference voltage (Metrum Acoustics Adagio and Jade).   

Of all of those, when operated passively, only the autoformer volume controls preserved the dynamics, tone, and bass and to my ears did not sound thin.  However, I tend to like the sound through discrete resistor volume controls so that is what I use, followed by a unity-gain buffer which preserves dynamics, tone, and bass. 

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