2. amps-preamps
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How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

Hello all.
I'm using an Audible Illusions L1 preamp and I think my system sounds better when I remove it from the signal path. Oppo BD105 directly to SMC Audio DNA1 Gold power amp. I have read that there is level of quality you need to hit before there will be an improvement in sound. I can't seem to find what that level is. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Ben
honashagen
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phomchick's avatar
phomchick
209 posts
 
Replace your amplifiers with a wire and let me know how that works out for you.
Since I listen to speakers, my DAC doesn’t have enough current output to make much noise, so I think I’ll keep my amplifiers (my speakers are bi-amped). My preamp wasn’t doing anything useful, as the DAC has enough output to drive the amps and the speakers to 100+ dB peaks.  The preamp was only adding noise, distortion, and frequency changes. 
aball
2,018 posts
 
Hi Phomchick

If you have enough gain, drive, and power bandwidth from one single amplifier stage, then that's great.  Like I said, it's up to the human in the feedback loop to make the call.

But to be fair, you most likely have more than one stage of amplification already built into your source and amp.  They just didn't tell you it's there.
phomchick's avatar
phomchick
209 posts
 
To be fair, there is no reason to use a preamp if you don’t need the gain (e.g. you are listening to vinyl).  It’s not going to sound better, which is what the OP was about.
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