Long ago, I made an experiment by connecting my tuner to my poweramp,while using a potentiometer only. This set-up could be regarded as I was using a primitive passive preamp. My conclusion at that time was; the music sounded clearer, more direct, but on the negative side also a slight bit more lean. Well, I have not thought much about passive preamps since then, but now I´m also in the process of upgrading my system, (or more to the truth;I havn´t had a system for four long years, and the last year,I have been building my High-end loudspeakers.) Having considering several pre-/poweramp alternatives(most of them are not so easy to get to listen to), I and my wife auditioned a Norwegian combination called Dynamic Precision,consisting of a passive pre(DPC 7.3) and a poweramp(DPA 6.4). Sound quality was surely amazing, especially given the rudimentary conditions.Our listening took place in a small sleepingroom,the one speaker was placed on a desk, the other on a piano-chair. Some month earlier, me and my wife had listen to a real expencive system,e.g. loudspeakers were Audio Artistry´s Beethoven,but that was not nearly as fun as listen to the Norwegian combination, which used much cheaper loudspeakers. Could any conclusion be made? I´can only write my opinions. If You are lucky, You can create a system where synergy is predominant.It´s not easy to say that active preamplifiers are always best, or worst.You can´t even say that a passive pre always needs short interconnections. Dynamic Precision states that cables up to 10m could be used in conjuntion to the balanced inputs of the company´s poweramplifiers,with minimal loss only. The purpose of real hi-fi can be said to be, to create an illusion of "real" or live music. But different people seem to be differently sensitive to the shortcomings in sound-systems. I will probably buy the Norwegian pre/poweamp combination (costs about $ 5700),that decision is based of the "live" feeling and feeling of joy, that turned up, when listening. There are other passive preamplifier out there, e.g.Placette which have good reports, but if it´s the right thing for You and Your system, I can´t tell! Regards Håkan Ståhl sweden
PASSIVE Preamp and LIFELESSNESS?
I have read alot of internet posts and opinions on Preamp and the prevailing train of thought for Passive Preamps is that they are very transparent, open, almost spooky in thier low noise floor, but that they suck out the life of music. I understand why an active may be better because they have the gain needed to drive long cable runs. But if your amplifier and preamplifier are close enough and have agreeing impedences and specifications then the passive would "seem" better than an active preamp. I am confused about the way a preamp is supposed to work in this particular situation, because I thought (not deeply, albeit)a Preamp passive or active was only supposed to pass the signal from input to output as "untouched" as possible? Having no preamp at all would be ideal, if you needed only one input. Wouldnt the Passive Preamp be the better of the two evils (active/passive)? I am asking specifically because I am at the crossroads of upgrading my system. I have a pair of Von Schweikert VR-4 originals and I need a new preamp, amplifier, and DAC to use with a Pioneer DV-414 transport. I would like to be as minimalist as possible which is why I am asking about passive preamps. Monolithic has a hybrid unit that is passive until you hit hit a certain point on the volume control and then the volume control becomes active. Cool, but no remote. Adcom has the unit that is leading my race right now with the the GFP-750, which has the best of both worlds, acitve and passive. I encourage any positive or critiqing comments on my system selection or concerning the topic at hand. The only thing I am concrete on it the speakers, I LOVE THEM, they are staying. Thanks for your time.