Serious Passive Preamp question

I don’t believe ANY active preamp can better a "properly used" passive for transparency, dynamics, uncoloured sound and extension in both the highs and lows. Unless you need to purposely colour the sound with the coloration's that all active preamps give.

Just read what rob67  with friends and family said in a 4 way shootout in a very expensive hiend system, when comparing a passive pre to these three active preamps.
 
Audio Reasearch Ref5se preamp
Pass Labs  X2.5  preamp
Bryston BP20 preamp

I've seen a number of active preamps be wider bandwidth and more neutral than the ones on this very short list! All that is says when a passive can beat these is just that and nothing more.

A more meaningful list would have over 100 preamps, all pitched against what is considered one of the best passives, with the results agreed upon by a much larger cross section of audiophiles, in a variety of systems.

I've seen active preamps beat a passive every time. Less coloration, better dynamic impact, more extension. Less sensitivity to interconnect cables.

A lot depends on the active line stage though. Some of them outright suck, and then passive sounds better so when that happens its a bad sign.