What is a passive preamp?

My impression, it`s a linestage pre. without a phono section, and/or tone controls. Is this correct?

pmm03-01-2008 10:35pm

mfsoa Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 76 posts 03-02-2008 at 12:46am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete But there are preamps with no gain that are not passive. There can be active buffering without gain, so the "no-gain" thing is not what defines what's passive or not.