2. amps-preamps
  3. 169721-127218

How important is the pre-amp?

Hello all,

Genuine request here for other's experiences.

I get how power amps can make really significant changes to the sound of a system. And of course speakers have an even bigger effect. And then there is the complicated relationship between the speaker and power amp. But I wonder about pre-amps.

In theory a well designed preamp should just act as a source switch and volume control. But does it add (or ruin) magic? Can a pre-amp color the sound? Alter pace and timing? Could you take a great sounding system and spoil it with the wrong preamp? Stereophile once gushed (while reviewing a preamp that cost as much as a car) that the preamp was the heart of the system, setting the tone of everything. Really? Some people don't even bother with a preamp, feeding their DACs straight into the power amp. Others favor passive devices, things without power. If one can get a perfectly good $2K preamp, why bother with 20K?

What your experiences been?
rols

Showing 2 responses by bpoletti

bpoletti
1,557 posts
 
I didn't read most of the comments, but looked for a key word that seems to have been overlooked.  IMPEDANCE.  A preamp is the heart of the system.  It receives musical signals from a variety of sources, often with widely varying output impedances.  The preamp selects the input, manages volume and balance control and outputs the signal to the amp(s) with a single output impedance to drive the amp(s).  

Because the source devices can have a wide variety of output impedances, it is important for the preamp to have a high input impedance.  And to drive a wide variety of amps including those poorly designed amps with low input impedance, it is important for the preamp to have a low output impedance.  
bpoletti
1,557 posts
 
@itsjustme 

Like I said, I didn't read every comment. Missed yours and mc's.  And you're right on REALLY LONG cables.


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