The Goldpoint SMD resistor passive and Endler Audio Stepped Attenuators I have here display a purity of sound that is very nice at first, but as time goes on you realize there is a level of dynamics and tonal density missing, compared to active preamps. Resistor based passives are also quite sensitive to impedance matching and can sound terrible in the wrong set-up.
Transformer and autoformer passives are said to resist this trend, and can even provide 6dB of gain. The Music First Audio preamps fall into this category.
I have to agree with those who like buffered passive preamps since the buffering helps prevent losses from long interconnects and impedance mismatches, and seems to restore dynamics and tonal color. My McCormack TLC-1 has been completely tricked out by SMc audio and is essentially a buffered passive that achieves 6dB of gain through Lundahl output transformers. This is the best preamp I have heard out of many, including several approaching or exceeding $10K.
Transformer and autoformer passives are said to resist this trend, and can even provide 6dB of gain. The Music First Audio preamps fall into this category.
I have to agree with those who like buffered passive preamps since the buffering helps prevent losses from long interconnects and impedance mismatches, and seems to restore dynamics and tonal color. My McCormack TLC-1 has been completely tricked out by SMc audio and is essentially a buffered passive that achieves 6dB of gain through Lundahl output transformers. This is the best preamp I have heard out of many, including several approaching or exceeding $10K.