Modern Linestages

The really wonderful aspect of this hobby is the ability to put things to the test.If you trust your ears, you can judge/test the theories and listen to what happens.You can say a good passive is truer to the source and that active devices simply add "colorations"(pleasing or not). You could certainly conclude also that the passive units are`nt passing the"complte" signal,thus there`s some degree of subtraction of musical information.What one person would say is a clean and pure(uncolored) signal is in reality just an incomplete one and thus sounds leaner,flatten,thin and lacks dynamics and vitality. The active unit may just do a superior job of preserving the original signal(less degradation) so that tone and dynamics are`nt as comprrimised. This would explain(at least to me) why the really good active linestages sound more real and involving rather than stripped down and less involving.

Charles1dad, I have made that same point in a different thread as it seems very reasonable and reality based on my experience with systems well matched for a passive.

Let's just say several on that thread left no room for such reasoning and maintain a passive under ideal circumstances is the gold standard - period. No room to think different. My involement in that thread was not fun and I simply went home with my ball. Hope we don't see that happen again here. I like this topic and would love more open minded discussion.

Let's just say several on that thread left no room for such reasoning and maintain a passive under ideal circumstances is the gold standard - period. No room to think different.

I think you're being a bit unreasonable with this statement Bill. Sure your opinions were questioned and judgements refuted. That happens in these forums. IIRC there was a robust discussion of the philosophical meaning of "true to the source" and it was clear your definition was different than than majority, but there were others in your camp as well.

I'd venture to say that all of us on the thread you referenced have started out our audiophile lives with active preamps. Some of us have had many come in and out of our systems. That some of us now prefer passive preamps for their simplicity and sound comes from our own comparisons and formulation of opinions. Our convictions were just as passionate in regards to what we prefer (and what is our gold standard) as are yours when it comes to discussing your Dude preamp, your preferences, and your gold standard. When you spoke of no room for reasoning, if that is truly what you felt then I'd say it cut both ways. As you stated yourself, you took your ball home, nobody forced you too.

Getting back to this topic, Unsound said it best. If you believe in simplicity one might consider building their system to maximize the potential to use a passive preamp. It's really not that hard to do and certainly cheap enough to try. Whether its the sound your prefer is another matter altogether.

Grannyring: "I like this topic and would love more open minded discussion."

Me too. So far so good. Start a power cord thread and I've seen more peace and harmony in an Oakland Raiders parking lot after a game. :-)

I've had this comparison in my head for a long time: Music in your home will never be like the real thing. A photograph will never be like the real thing. If I can do something to the photograph that will make it seem more real or, bottom line, something that makes me like it more....done deal.

I've heard critism of SETs that say that their 2nd harmonics are adding distortion to the sound. Well, when the music is stripped during the recording and playback process, I wouldn't mind "adding" something back as long as it were pleasant to my ears (more consonant, less dissonant). I actually think it would be more accurate overall. I don't care that a scope says, "this amps (or preamps) output signal more resembles the input signal". I do care if my ears like what they hear.

Good thoughts Onemug, This is why I don`t get emotional or upset on these threads. I accept the fact we all hear differently,have different perceptions and priorities etc. If Clio09 feels passive is better, why sould I care that`s his choice. I just know what sounds better to"me" and we both can be very pleased individuality. I just don`t like when people take a religious like zeal to convince others what`s superior, and then become very defensive in their stance. It`s not that serious.