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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I'm not trolling, you can stalk me all you like, you "try" to present facts your way, and I'll do them my way, with whoever/whatever proof I have.
George, sorry, you're not fooling me. Endlessly spouting the same thing over and over, especially when you know you are leaving out important facts, is one way trolling is defined! The result of trolling is that someone has to correct your misrepresentation- and then we go on and on, around and around. That's classic trolling.
If you are such an admirer of Nelson then don't make it as if he is saying something he isn't. That seems disrespectful to me at the very least.


Whatever Ralph. I'll do and say anything I feel is right, I know this sort of thing hurts your preamp sales and I'm sorry for that, but I'm not going to step around it as you would like me to.

Cheers George
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Did not read this thread but here is my 2 cents.

I am going to buy theĀ  BENCHMARK HPA4 HEADPHONE / LINE AMPLIFIER unheard and unseen (just released). I already have the Benchmark AHB2 amp. I will buy 1 more of these amps to run in mono mode, I will use this new volume control to connect to the amps which will power KEF Blade speakers. I have been trying to figure out a way to run without a preamp and this maybe the way to achieve this without relying on a DAC with a volume control..