TVC vs. active pre?

In a pure technical sense I agree with you - every thing else being equal - no difference. However the proper use of a passive is a hair-shirt affair and commands some knowledge (actually fairly extensive knowledge) and dilligence to execute properly - not for the convience orientated or faint of heart. Personally, liking midrange bloom and a better sence of "air" as I do (i.e. tubes) I wouldn't go that route, but I'd put one with a remote in my tape loop for volume control.

The job of the line stage in a preamp is to similtaneously provide volume control and also control the effects of the interconnect cable. A depressingly large number of preamps (especially tube preamps) fail at this task. Passive volume control systems are usually even worse when it comes to the latter task, though often better at the former.

The concept of the TVC is nice in that one should be able to have both a good volume control as well as cable control, but in practice the effects of the transformer are quite noticeable and the difference in sound from one volume control setting to another (which is a problem that plagues passive units) is still there.

The only way to get around the buffering (to interface to the cable and load) issue in a passive is to build the volume control into the amplifier. This is not always practical, as one is still stuck with the fact that the quality of the control remains critical. Good volume controls (usually some form of multiposition switch) are fairly large; semiconductor style controls (often used in remote volume controls) don't as yet sound right.

'Right' is a relative term; the more transparent your system the more these comments will make sense.

My limited experence with passives in my system has been very favorable towards them. I think they have the kind of midrange quality that tube lovers talk about..only better. I have listened to the Placette passive (very good) and I owned the Bent TVC for about a year (also very good). Do I think that an active pre-amp can better the Placette or Bent, sure I do..but at much cost. I plan to bring a passive back into my system in the future as I only sold mine to upgrade elsewere in my system on short notice.

Dave

Dave

After living with several well respected tube preamps such as offerings from BAT, Audible Illusions, Cary, JJ Electronics, and Kora, I now have a custom preamp using the Mark I version of the TX-102 transformer. There is no comparison regarding bass extension, dynamics and transparency, the TVC has it all over the competition. You might give up a slight bit of midrange bloom, but this is very close. The TVC actually has a more fleshed out midrange than some tube preamps, while retaining greater resolution. I also heard the Placette in my system and my buddy's too, not even in the same ballpark as a TVC.

I agree that the performance of any passive linestage will be system dependent. I have heard my preamp in another system and it didn't perform nearly as well as it does with my gear. So caveat emptor, but for me the TVC is great.

Oz