2. home-theater
  3. 1049920477

Should I take out my AR-16 tube pre amp from HT?

Confirm or clarify for me whether my stereo preamp connected between my Sunfire Theater Grand III pre/proc and Odyssey HT 3 channel amp is doing anything for my sound. Currently, all my sources (DVD, CD, VCR, TV, Cable, Sat, etc...) are connected to the Sunfire and I use my stereo preamp exclusively in "pass through" mode. Before I got the Sunfire, I had my CD player connected to the preamp but not anymore. I began with a stereo/music set up and expanded into home theater. I hated giving up the preamp so I integrated it into the HT set up but I'm wondering if I even need it now.

I connected my cd player through the preamp last night to compare the sound between using the preamp or going through the Sunfire with the preamp on "pass through" and preferred the latter. Have I rendered my preamp useless in this configuration?

I was never sure if my preamp had any effect on my sound when I engaged the "pass through" feature. Can you help me clarify once and for all this question?
jwong1

Showing 2 responses by jwong1

jwong1 OP
42 posts
 
My preamp is the Audio Research LS 16 and my CD player is the Sony S9000es. When I played the two together it gave me a "leaner" sound. However, I preferred the "warmer" and all around sound when the CD player was hooked to the Sunfire and the LS 16 running on "pass through".

Two questions arise. Is the Sunfire "upsampling" my CD signal? And, is the LS 16 doing anything to my signal at all when in "pass through" mode?

I suspect yes to the former but I'm not clear about the latter.

I love my LS 16 but if it's not serving any function in this set up, I'll pull it and put it away to save the tubes.

Thanks for caring.
jwong1 OP
42 posts
 
Blame it on synergy or file under "Go figger" Dept.

I took the LS 16 out of my set up and my soundstage went flat. My sound lost all it's "fullness" - no body in the mid ranges and under. Needless to say, I quickly restored the equipment arrangement.

Maybe my stereo signal enjoys the "extra" traveling through the Monster and MIT 3 interconnects through the LS 16's by pass because when I connected my Sony S9000ES DVD/CD player directly to the Sunfire and had the Sunfire wired directly to the amp, my sound went "flat".

Ahh, the mysteries and wonders of our obessions.
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