Passive Pre - No Regrets?

Well,it is official, I love the Placette RVC - in my system it works. I'm finding it hard to justify keeping the CAT for my system and my needs, I've put it up for sale - don't get me wrong the CAT is one of the great preamplifiers,and can obvioulsy do soemtings the RVC cannot (phono, source switching, drive any cables into any loads, etc) and deserves its following, but for single source CD with the right impedance/sensitivity/blah,blah - the RVC is awfully good, especially at its price point (I'm not saying it is good for the price, it is good period - at any price). Of course, I'll be thinking about the active Placette, well, maybe after the CAT is sold.

Congatulations Pubul57!!

As long as we are making announcements I would also point out that my dynamics quest with the passive preamp is over, now I got the dynamics of my previous SS preamp and the transparency of the passive, tweaks helped a lot for this, Ribbon power cables, 2 inch Spruce Wood bases on all my gear, and biamping!!! I now use my passive preamp to drive my mono amps and a Subwoofer....amazing!

Best

A big key was working with master tapes! This allowed us to know exactly what the recording really did sound like.

Unfortunately this is not the case. You listened to tapes that were slowly deteriorating over time played on a tape deck that added it's own colorations played through speakers or headphones that also added colorations. Perhaps better than the CDs and vinyl I have but still not perfect. There is no way around this problem.

Well, after six weeks of A/B evaluations, I have sold my CAT SL1 and am very happy with the Placette RVC. It works with great in my system - low output impedance single source, no gain needed, low capacitance cables (Cardas GR), and high sensitvity, high input impedance CAT JL2 amplifier. Sounds like the debate can go on forever, but in the right system, I think it is hard to beat a high quality passive preamp.

I wish there had been a thread with as much cogent discussion when I was first considering a passive. Herman makes some very excellent points, especially with resepct to why it "works" for some and not others, so I won't belabor that issue. I have tried quite a number of linestages in my system, looking back, and the Bent NOH that I currently use is the best, by a pretty good margin. Better than several actives, both tubed and SS, and better than the passive Placette.

Steve McCormack has been developing his latest take on a cutting edge passive for some time now. I am anxiously awaiting this piece, expecting VERY good things.