How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

samuelb

Preamplifiers where originally designed to buffer and add additional gain but today this is rarely the need as most source components with the exception of a turntable, need additional gain for buffering. If you’re not running long cable lengths then no additional components will get you closer to the source components sonic signature (this assumes that you like that signature) and in the end a preamp regardless of type will have some impact on your system.

So true Samuel. That’s why I’ve always maintained, the most "transparent/dynamic sound" is going direct from source to amp if you can do it without the sources digital domain volume control doing any "bit stripping", it is the number one way for most transparent and dynamic sound, second is a passive preamp with good impedance matching, third is an active preamp, which you can add differing colouration’s with.

Another gem 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."

Cheers George

Your such a **** kost, all you can see is your FW F5 which has such abnormally low gain, it needs an active preamp.
And that’s the second time you’ve put **** on Nelson Pass, who do you think you are? better???, your not even his hang nail.

Cheers George

You need to back off.

Sounds like a threat there sunshine. You are an agitator, as many on Audiogon have said, stop drinking or whatever your doing. 
Like I said.
That’s the second time you’ve put **** on Nelson Pass, who do you think you are? better???, your not even his hang nail.

As others have said, you built a F5 from "paint by numbers" "kit" that anyone that can hold a soldering iron can put together.
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/firstwatt9/1.jpg
And you think you know better than Nelson Pass, who gave that very amp to the diy’ers who can solder to make.

Cheers George