I've used passive preamps, also found the sound very flat, 2 dimensional, but the bass and top end was very good, transparency great. Going back to good ss active preamp now, offering the best overall performance for my likes. Tried a tube preamp and it didn't 'do it' for me at all. Like anything else, it's something you have to try in your own system to see what works with your tastes, no amount of audiophile jargon or high flow technical theory should sway you any which way, let your ears decide.
How can an active preamp possibly help?
When I pipe the line level out from my CD player straight into my variable gain amp, I must turn down my amp from unity gain lest I blow out my ears. If this is the case, what value can an active preamp possibly be adding? The signal from the CD player is already "too loud" for the amp.
This leads me to question why an active preamp is needed at all. Switching and volume I understand, but can someone please explain how an active preamp amplifying the signal before it gets to the amp helps the finished product sound better (especially in light of my it's-already-too-loud example).
Thanks!
This leads me to question why an active preamp is needed at all. Switching and volume I understand, but can someone please explain how an active preamp amplifying the signal before it gets to the amp helps the finished product sound better (especially in light of my it's-already-too-loud example).
Thanks!