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Preamplifier power supply

Hi folks, should a preamplifier have a BIG (that is: an overkill power supply) to sound dynamic and authoritative? I'm asking this because some experts would say "yes" while others would say "no". Recently a well known audio journalist (Anthony Cordesmann?) said that the preamplifier doesn't have to have a big power supply because it doesn't have to deliver lots of energy (in the form of current). A preamplifier can sound "dynamic" even with very modest power supply --> for example the built in preamplifier in the Benchmark DAC. But some manufacturers rely on a truly overkill power supply in their reference preamplifiers: MBL, First Sound Audio, BAT, VTL, LAMM, Mark Levinson. So who is right?

Chris
dazzdax

Showing 2 responses by pubul57

pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I'm wondering myself, like the Pass First Watt B-1.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
I can think of hundreds of scenarios where an active linestage is necessary (as I can think of just as many scenarios were SETs will sound terrible). But the question remains, if you have plenty of gain, low capacitance cables, 100kohm input impedance on the amps with high sensitity - that is a source and amp/speaker combo where there absolutely no need for gain or buffering to match impedances, under though circumstaces how and it what way could an active linestage better a passive resistor preamp? I have had a CAT, Lamm, ARC, Joule ME, Dodd, and even a Bent TAP and now I use a Lighspeed Attenuator to drive the Music Reference RM10 and RM9 SE amps - I don't hear loss of dynamics, soundstage, texture, PRAT, bass, or anything else, except noise. Though I do use a Atma combo becuase the the passive approach just does not work for me with my Atma amps. I would not draw conclusions about passive preamps unless they are in the right system context, as I would not judge whether 1.5 watt SETs are any good by trying them on a pair of Thiel or B&Ws. And if I needed buffering, I'm sure the TVCs or AVCs would sound better than the resistor-based passives. Now this may all work becuase the power supplies in the EMM Labs gear is pretty beefy.
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