2. amps-preamps
  3. 174980-170745

The Best Preamp is no Preamp?

So recently I've discovered the possibility of completely removing my preamp from my rig. I've never heard or considered this before, so much audio tradition... But in going directly from DAC to amplifier the sound quality is absolutely incredible, instantly had me grinning. Using music server to Chord M Scaler to Chord Qutest (cut out Marantz SR5015) to go directly to dual Emotiva XPA-DR1 monoblocks, to GR Research's 24 strand speaker wire to Magnepan 1.7i's.  Only difference is running volume on server vs Marantz remote, sound quality is the biggest jump I've ever heard with any gear.

Have you guys had experience cutting out the preamp from your rig? What's your thoughts?

brandonhifi

Showing 1 response by sandthemall

sandthemall
544 posts
 

Bought a Carver TFM amp in the mid 90s. Sounded great with CD player going into it directly. I used the gain knobs on the front panel for each channel as volume knobs. Sounded clean.

Sometime around 2008 I bought a new NAD preamp...entry level stuff @ $700. I was expecting to lose a little resolution going into the Carver. Sounded soooo much better. More body, more bass...it had this softness and smoothness. It did not make sense at the time.

I had to turn the gain knobs on the amp all the way up to max (as recommended by the Carver manual) to use a preamp. I thought it was going to blow up...but it sounded beautiful.

The class A gain stages in preamps are designed to handle very delicate signals much better than the gain stages in your average amp.

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