2. amps-preamps
  3. 1075728615

TVC vs. active pre?

I'm using a Bent Audio NOH in my system, and love the sound - it's detailed, open, dynamic, coherent, musical and very immediate.

Whenever I talk to amp designers however, the universal preference seems to be for active preamps. My feeling is that if there are no interfacing issues between the pre and the power amp (sufficient voltage drive, no impedance or capacitance problems) that an active pre can't "add quality" to the signal. As far as I can tell, an active preamp provides buffering and gain. Absent any need for these, I don't see what benefits it can provide.

Is my assessment incomplete? Are the recommendations for active preamps simply based on the avoidance of potential interfacing issues in unknown systems?

I understand that a good active may beat a poorly implemented passive, but given good design/build in both situations, what would it take for an active to beat a good passive, especially a TVC? And specifically, has anyone gone from a TVC to an active? If so, what were the system issues that prompted the change?
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gliderguider OP
294 posts
 
I appear to have answered my own question. A new friend strongly encouraged me to try his Audion Premier line stage. Last night, four hours after I plugged it in I agreed to buy it.

In my system the Audion provided better dynamics, resolution and articulation than the NOH, and not by a narrow margin either.

It seems now that, theoretical issues aside, it still comes down to implementation.
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