The Best Preamp is no Preamp?

I removed my preamp, and inserted a volume control. The sound became really better, more clarity. Some people said the increased clarity is something ANALYTICAL. Totally non-sense! So-so grade preamp just simply makes audio signal a little bit dull. If you hear your music more analytical or less full (less bass), then you probably have not hear actual music produced by real performances or concerts. I played Tenor sax, trumpet and flute. The actual sound was ear piercing if you listen them too closely to the players.

Warm sound (a little bass, boomy)? No, that's not actual music, that is modified by audio engineers to make sound smooth. If you have many audio sources (CD, tape, phono preamp, etc), then you need a passive preamp which has only a volume controller and a source selector. I am using a potentiometer (=volume control) between a CD player and a power amp. Sound became really better. It looks like there was a big fabric curtain (between me and speakers), and it was removed!

@r27y8u92 

 

What is your system? There is a place under your userID to put photos and ID your components.

‘What was your system and what did you swap out?

 

This would be really helpful to understand your experience.

Well if you want to experiment with a good active preamp it has probably never been cheaper.You can try /buy one of the cheap Chinese clone preamps like the FM Acoustics 155 copies for about $300 on Ali Express.That is s a superb sounding  active preamp in my opinion.It may not improve the sound of every power amp because there are always preamp/power amp synergies  but suspect it will be a considerable improvement on most .I am talking at least $5000 preamp sound quality.The real thing sold for more like $20,000.

I would normally not recommend things like that but for the sake of killing off the myth that the best preamp is no preamp it is arguably justifiable. I believe that is also an older design on which the patent has expired so anybody can copy it.

Best preamp is the one that brings out the best in your setup.

 

To ghdprentice:

My system is as follows.

CD player   Musical Fidelity A3.2 CD (made in 2003 in England)

Turn table   Sansui SR 929 (Denon DL-103R)

Preamp      Onkyo Integra P304 (ca. 33 years old, Japan)

Power amp  Yamaha MX-1 (old, old, 200 watt per channel)

                Cayin 860 mono blocks (4 x EL 34 each)

Speaker      Vienna Mahler (120 lbs each)

All cables     Monster (interconnect, speaker)

Vol. Control  SCHIIT SYS

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I don't use the Onkyo as a preamp any more, but use for only phono section.

I used to own CJ tube preamp, Plinius preamp, Brystone Preamp, Jeff Roland preamp, etc. But the onkyo does its jot close to the preamps by 90-95%. So, I sold all preamps, keep the Onkyo only. Actually, 2 years ago, I purchased the Onkyo P304 one more from ebay. I used both Onkyos. I made one Onkyo as one channel combining two channel using mono-making Y-cable. Anyway, using 2 Onkyos, S/N (signal to noise ratio) was better, but I found no advantage regarding sound quality.

 

Using the SCHIIT vol. control as a passive preamp, I found my music became a lot better.

(1) Mid - high      very clear, not shrill, not analytical, just like piano is playing in front of me, Trumpet = I could hear metallic feeling just like when I was in high school brass band,...

(2) Bass       exaggerated booming is gone, but true bass from the source was heard. If you like some sound (boob, boob, boom), then I can not discuss my feeling with you.

(3) True to the source music       less component means less additives to the sound. So, if the source music is great, I can feel great. If not good, I hear un-musical sound.

 

I can still remember that Herbert von Karajan said music from CD player was better than that of turntable. He mentioned that to engineers of CD player-developing, 1980s. At the time, so-called audio reviewers said the CD music was so analytical. I think the reviewers barely attended actual concerts, compared to Karajan. Karajan was involved in CD format such as how many minutes in a single CD, etc. I believe Karajan preference (favoring CD against analog) simply because he spent a lot of time in actual performance, not because he was a very famous conductor. 

We have to spend many $ to buy expensive gears.

Expensive power cable = I think this is the most unnecessary item.