Placette RVC review in Stereophile

"...inexpensive solution." Aye, there's the rub! It only costs $1,500.00 so it must not be "...even close..." to an active pre-amp. I tried an $8,200.00 C-J, a $3,500.00 Classe, $6,500.00 BAT, and a used Krell (think around $5,000.00 new). The Placette put the music in my room with the most authority and seduction, period. Maybe I just have a magic match between amp, CD player, and Placette. I don't know as I've only used it with one amp. I get excited by music with the Placette and have substantially increased listening time (and music expenditures).

By the way...John Renbourn! I haven't thought of him in 25-30 years. Thanks for the tip and I'll spend some time at my favorite record store (Dearborn Music in Michigan) and at Amazon.com to pick up some things I had back in the early 70s. Last performance I saw was Brahms Symphony, hall was about 2/3 full, music was actually very well done -sound was excellent. Made me want to go back for more, just like my stereo.

I agree with Mikelavigne completely except don't really know what he (or anyone else for that matter) means by 'bass slam'. I have tried two active pre-amps, in comparison to my Placette, and found that only the Placette does not damage. The other two ($4,500.00 for one and $8,000.00 the other) causing veiling, restricted dynamics, and made me want to just keep turning the volume up. Music listening was ultimately very unsatisfying and I don't think I'll ever consider another active pre.

By the way, Guy will work directly with you to design your passive (he made mine with a mono-switch) and does what he promises. Another good thing, this world class unit only cost me $1,400.00. 'Nuff said.

Mike...Makes sense. I have noticed that every pre-amp I've tried masks detail and lacks the micro-dynamics needed for realistic music production. The Placette seems to give me exactly what the source, amp, and speakers are producing and I can't ask anything more. I have no need for other colorations or some sort of mystical "balancing act" between the pre-amp and amp. Buy an amp that works for you and get a Placette (or some other well designed and made) passive.

The last rock show I attended was in a concrete and steel venue and the bass slam was there and sounded awful. So did the rest of the spectrum. I have no idea what this band can do or whether they can play; this was no musical experience.

Thanks for the definition of "bass slam". I, probably like you, will stick with music.

Rcrump...We have very good concert halls in our area, four of which I visit at least 3 times a year. This is total of 12 live, unamplified concerts. My wife and I also go to Baker's Keyboard Lounge 5-6 times a year and a number of other small clubs in town for jazz and other stuff. Unfortunately, 95% of these are amplified by inexpensive SS equipment, P.A. speakers, etc. and sound like it. YOU are fooling yourself if you think electric performances in any size club have anything approaching the dynamics of unamplified music in a good hall (like Orchestra Hall).

We eat at a number of restaurants with musicians and/or small bands but of course most of these are amplified. The most recent real music we heard was at a restaurant in Ann Arbor with a voilinist and pianist. The room acoustics weren't that good but then, not too bad and we were quite close. My wife commented on how much the two women sounded like my stereo, I had to agree. I have no idea where this crap about restricted dynamics comes from, but I've had pre-amps from BAT, Krell, C-J, AirTight, and Classe (from $3,500.00 through $8,500.00 in cost) in my system, and the major problem was THEY restricted dynamics relative to the Placette. Every pre-amp sounded like someone stretched varying thicknesses of membrane across the music. I had to go back to passive to bring the music back in my room. With every pre-amp I had to keep turning the volume up to hear properly - not so the Placette as the music "popped" right there in my room. I think it may be that actives cause people to keep increasing the volume to where they think the wall of noise is some sort of increase in dynamics. Remember when people thought Bose 901s actually had bass? Same psycho-acoustic phenom: Play it loud enough and neopohytes think lower midrange is bass.

I untimately judge a component by how excited I am to get to my stereo every night. The Placette makes me itch to get there, the BAT came close but nothing drew me in like the Placette.

I don't know what the Blowtorch is (a passive of some sort?) and I also am not familiar with CTC. I recently listened to a CAT pre-amp, series III I think, and found it slightly veiled and resricted...pretty, though. This was with the CAT amps which I was told were the most recent iteration. I have to admit all the pre-amps I tried were very well built and a joy to use. I couldn't live without remote volume, though (CAT).

Last night I listened to Yo YO Ma's "Appalatian Journey" - micro and macro dynamics were stunning and this with my ProAc 2.5s which some say are not the best with wide dynamic swings. Couldn't tell by my experience. AND, all from a 9wt AirTight 300B amp...small room, though. Also listened to part of a Lloyd symphony which had the same wide swings (and micro inside of macro in both records which is thrilling).

I think the 300Bs with Tamura trannies does dynamics in a way that sounds most like the concert hall, at least in my experience. Anyway, off to Royal Oak this weekend for dinner and live, unamplified Flamenco guitar and singing.

Bob,

I saw John Hammond in Kalamazoo maybe 34 years ago. My girfriend had a crush on John but never did meet him. Ha!

Seem to remember Hammond having a father who was also a performing musician.

Guy,
Nice to hear from the "source". I have two components in my system that won't be changing anytime soon - Air Tight 300B amp and Placette passive volume control. It is so good that when I ordered and did the 30 day home trial, I knew it'd be staying 20 min after inserting in my system. I did the pre-requisite 2-3 day heavy listening (you know, all us audiophiles have sit with our faces scrunched up, trying to detect the action of the singer's lips and back of throat, check for proper chest sounds, the number of centimeters he/she is from microphone, the type of microphone, ad nauseum. Just read Stereophile and you'll see the importance of that stuff! However, last night I could easily realize Joni Mitchell's deep emotional involvement with her songs and Eric Clapton's relative lack of emotional involvment. All that other stuff was there but thank God it doesn't distract from the actual music. By the way, I could hear Joni's piano pedal action but found it meaningless - however, the softness of her key action was very meaningful.) all the while knowing this thing is not going back.

The Placette replaced an $8,300.00 C-J that has gotten 10 positive to orgasmic magazine reviews around the world. C-J is a great company, makes superb products, and has excellent customer service...but that pre-amp was just in the way compared to the Placette.

Hey, Guy! Good luck with that offer at the Las Vegas show!! Bet it doesn't happen but if so, also bet they claim your gear "destroys the sound". I think they all have too much emotional investment in their product. I still think Don Julio Anejo is the best tequila around, a friend claims 1800 Special Reserve is. Don Julio puts a smile on my face, 1800 doesn't so I don't buy it. Things are that simple.