2. amps-preamps
  3. 1293746922

Preamp or Not

System:
Speakers: B&W 802D
AMP: 2 Plinius SA100 MKIII used as mono
Preamp: Musical Fidelity need upgrade to BAT or Pass Labs?
Source: Arcam fmj CD37

I have bunch of other good equipment in my theater room. The above are my 2-channel audio only set up. I have been thinking of upgrading my pre and CDP because they have no XLR connections. They sound very good but I'd like to use the balance connections. I just found an Esoteric SA50 player which apparently can be connected to the amplifier directly, therefore, eliminating the need for a preamp.

Question:

Since I have a very high gain amp and some external distortion and noise issues, would I be better off with a preamp and a source or just go directly from source to the amps. If there are no setbacks with this kind of set up, I can eliminate one component and save some $ in the process.

I would love to hear from members with similar experience and/or familiar with Esoteric SA50.
espoverload
lak's avatar
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lak
4,663 posts
 
I have tired various good passive preamps and have always found there sound to be lean compared to a traditional preamp. To each there own and that's just my opinion based upon my ears and system components, I don't want to offend those that prefer passive.
The Esoteric will work in your set up, and there are many other CDP's with volume controls that will also work.
The major point I want to make is some people will prefer the sound of the system using a CDP with volume control and others will prefer the sound using a traditional preamp.
The only way you will know for sure is to try it for yourself.
espoverload OP
14 posts
 
Thank you for your suggestions. The major reason I'd like to use XLR connection is distortion. I hear a high frequency noise (distortion) from the mid-range and tweeters of the speakers. When I disconnect the RCA from preamp the noise disapears. I have tried everything and can't get rid of the distortion. The noise is not from the amps only when the RCA from pre is connected. So I was thinking if I could eliminate the preamp and go directly from source to the amp with XLR, I may be able to avoid the distortion. Otherwise, I am OK with the system's sound.
4est
507 posts
 
I doubt that the change from rca>xlr will help. I think that the pros of xlr are over hyped. In theory they are certainly better. In reality it may not make a bit of difference. In my system, the cable it's self makes more of a difference than the type of connections. YMMV
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lak
4,663 posts
 
Espoverload,
I'd be curious to for you to report back to us any type of change you hear assuming to try a pair of the XLR interconnects.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Anticipating the sonic results of driving amps direct with a CDP/DAC is really a crap shoot I think. I have a Wadia 302CDP. It is not bright tonally speaking but so far with the amps I have connected it to the tone was clinical and it benefited from using it with preamps (I've used several different preamps and the Wadia always benefited.) Perhaps it needed the edges filed off a tad by a pre-amp. I wanted it to be otherwise, but not to be so. I think if you must have balanced channels and/or XLR connectors, and your fussy about tone, you're going to need to get a pre-amp. Too bad you can't get demo on a CPD that you might favor. Actually, if you could figure out which CDP you would like, performance wise, you could buy one. Then if it didn't work you could add the appropriate pre-amp to solve your problem. FWIW.
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