2. amps-preamps
  3. 126097-68724

Best Preamp - NO preamp... (?)

A few hours ago I decided to experiment and bypassed my highly regarded, excellent passive preamp and hooked up my PS Audio DSD DAC directly to the power amp.
There is no going back...
Every aspect of the sound has improved so dramatically that I'm simply blown away. I'm a bit shocked, playing CD after CD and I still can't believe it.
My phono stage has gain control as well, so it seems that from now on it will be disconnecting RCAs and plugging each in turn.
Since I usually do vinyl day or cd day (or week) anyway, the trouble seems totally worth it. Letting the cable settle in for a bit is not an issue.
Am I just crazy or are any of you doing the same?
Should I be concerned about damaging  the RCAs over time?
Thanks for your thoughts and experience. :-)
128x128ami
jblselector's avatar
jblselector
11 posts
 
Each to their own, it depends on you ears, your pre amp. Some preamps are great others disappointing. I use a number of different ones in different systems. My Yamaha c2a is an example of a good preamp. It's fast yet has a degree of warmth and solidly .  System component matching has lots to do with results too- some good components just don't get on sonically yet others  do. Cables can be another question - just be careful handling them. 
phd
1,314 posts
 
Passives of good quality are now being touted as being as good as very expensive active preamps if not better. Taking it one step further if your amp has sufficient gain, going direct can be surprisingly good but as you mentioned, you lose the ability to switch between components The best thing to do is experiment as you're doing and as suggested above, go with what sounds best to your ears
campo007's avatar
campo007
40 posts
 
I think what you've just demonstrated is that your system has a very good gain structure. I was running my Oppo BDP105 directly into my mono blocks too for a while as it sounded better than going through the Octave Phonomudule preamp. I built a passive using Slagle autoformers and the sound is somewhat the same, maybe a touch sweeter. 
But it's all about the gain. That's why it doesn't good to go direct with most people's systems. They don't have enough gain, so they need an active pre to help the signal along. 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
They don’t have enough gain, so they need an active pre to help the signal along.
If it goes loud enough for you, you have enough gain, a passive preamp will NOT compress the music if it’s up near full.

Quote from 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.
Cheer George
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I am using the Townsend Allegri Passive pre. I have used Creek and Audio Synthesis before and it is considerably better. I liked it so well that I was going to become a dealer before I got sick. It has a big lead in the Colloms sound rating on the High Fi Critic site. This is avable free if you want to look. I have been reading him since the early 70s and based many of my purchases on his reviews. Many are rare or not sold here. I got my Metrum from Europe before it was avable here. I have a very good [and expensive] active pre and I am going to give to another try when I can. [ it is very heavy and I can't lift these days] 

More to discover