Passive Pre - No Regrets?

Jsadurni, you should be fine with a passive..just make sure the next one is a TVC not the PLC with autoformers. I watch movies with my TVC..no shortage in dynamics.Also from what I've read the PLC with autoformers doesn't electrically isolate input from output like a TVC. This means you'll have less noise filtered with the PLC. Give it another go..before you throw in the towel.

Good luck

"Also from what I've read the PLC with autoformers doesn't electrically isolate input from output like a TVC. This means you'll have less noise filtered with the PLC."

In theory then, that would be a good thing.

FWIW, the task of the volume control is *not* to filter noise! I would suspect that there are other reasons for a preference.

"FWIW, the task of the volume control is *not* to filter noise! I would suspect that there are other reasons for a preference."

Yes I agree, I suppose it is how one looks at it. I'm not designer like yourself,but don't you use something inside your equipment to filter noise or keep it to a minimum? Capacitors or something? If you did then your amplifiers or preamps would also do the job of lowering the noise floor..correct? This wouldn't be any different from a TVC having the same ability would it?

Having preferences is fine..I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm thinking seriously of buying a tube amplifier to run with the TVC when the moment strikes. One day I may want to mix it up a bit. It is always good to have different types of gear to swap out, when you want to hear music in another light.

Can't get any better match between source nd amps than that, Jsadurni. "If it ain't workin' for ya, it ain't workin!"

The only other question is what type of interconnects are you using and how long are they? I've heard that capactance and inductance, or the relationship between both, can be a HUGE influencing factor in the performance of a passive pre.

From your August post here, it seems you have settled on short speaker cables and longer interconnects. That's what has also worked best for me.

Still waiting, but maybe they'll arrive today. Atmasphere. let me ask you a question. If you could design a passive preamp, choose an appropriate source with just the right output impedance, select the cabling to be used (for appropriate electrical properties- and lenght)and they were feeding one of your OTLs or some other quality 100KOhm load - that is you could optimze the variables that determine successful versus unsuccessful implementation of the passive approach - could you conceive that a passive, minalmist approach might work better, sound better than an active, any active preamplifier. I would accept that the passive might not be as flexible, be more fussy, and may be less universally marketable.