Why some preamps does not play music? Cold?

I appreciate the answers, didn’t even bargain for that deep level of technicality and psychiatry.))) I was hoping somebody just to say "go ahead re-solder this capacitor and everything will be OK". - that level of technicality) However, I’m afraid I didn’t express myself clearly enough and thereby mislead the public here). I have five preamps, but said issue persist only in one out of five. This one (tube pre), INHO is, the best (out of five) sounding preamp in terms of extensions, transparency, clarity etc. "Foot tapping" is also non-issue, i.e. plenty of that. However, as it most apparent on complex, avangarde jazz pieces (Kith Jarett, Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea etc.) it looses musical connection (?) It does it on any kind of music, but on regular music it is less obvious, because it still have enough "melody (?)" left to connect sounds into music(?). When switched to any other, out of 5 preamps, (cold, SS or whatever) which BTW, have less of extensions, clarity etc.,, the music comes back. So, the correct word is probably musicality not emotional engagement? I don’t really believe (for whatever it worth))) that any distortion has anything to do with this issue, cause like i said other preamps most likely have more distortions been not as clear and transparent as the one at issue.Just wanted to clarify the issue, to bring everybody onto the same page.

dvavc

A Quote from the master Nelson Pass

Nelson Pass,

We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.

Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.

Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.

What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.

And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.

All active preamps dvavc, have a colourations/distortion of their own, and all sound different to each other. None sound like the "mythical" "straight piece of wire".

If you want to hear what your source sounds like without these active preamp colouration/distortions you should try to use your source into your poweramp via a passive preamp, the closest to a "straight piece of wire" sound.

But for that to work it’s best the source output impedance should be low (1kohm/1000ohms or less) which most are. The passive pre should be a 10kohm passive, and the poweramp should be 33kohm or higher input impedance which most are. And interconnects from the passive pre to the poweramp should be 2mt or less and low capacitance (100pf per ft or less) which most good ones are.

This then will give you the most uncoloured, dynamic way of hearing your source, you may not like it, but that is the sound of what your source is without any active preamp colourations/distortions changing the sources sound.

If all parameters above meet the requirements try this. This is a $49 10kohm passive pre you can try, and even send back. And they have "B" stock as well.

http://schiit.com/products/sys

Cheers George

If you want to hear what your source sounds like without these active preamp colouration/distortions you should try to use your source into your poweramp via a passive preamp, the closest to a "straight piece of wire" sound.