2. amps-preamps
  3. 125047-818

I used to think passive preamps were superior to active preamps given right the setup, but

my recent evaluation of a modded old SS preamp has me a little befuddled.  I've evaluated $10K+ active preamps in the past and was never impressed especially given their cost.  In general, I've found passives to do better job. I know there's ongoing debate on this.  But here's a very illuminating video on the subject by Bascom King, one of the legends of high end audio.

https://youtu.be/HHl8F9amyY4
dracule1
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Which came first? The chicken or the egg?

Is BK dismissing passives to promote his new active preamplifier?
Or did he design his new preamplifier to be active due to his previous experiences with active/passives?
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

+1 jmcgrogan2


Cheers George

dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
I do believe BK struggled with the passive vs active over the years and came to accept what his ears were telling him rather than what he was taught in engineering class. I don’t think this is the first time he’s telling this story just to sell a product. Seems like a honest man, despite the setting of this interview.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
You got to have gain somewhere. I have never found passives anything but boring and with no pace.
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
tbg, you're not getting an argument from me, and I've been using passive pre for years. I guess I just didn't meet the right active pre to make me change my mind.
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