Do preamps have a material affect on high level sources?

Only when going direct isn’t possible without "bit stripping" or if the source has no volume control, are passive pre’s the next best in line for transparency and dynamics, and yes that includes my one sunshine.

And not once did I mentioned mine in this thread or the last few months of threads, until you bring it up, and for that I thank you, for doing that and giving me some advertising, one could almost say you were shilling for the Lightspeed Attenuator, keep up the good work sunshine.

Forest and trees, if you can see them.

george, fair point. I should have said "pushing passive preamps" instead of "pushing his own passive preamps". But in your case that makes no difference. Either way, your remark to Ralph was completely unnecessary.  

kalali, you really are a very sensitive person. You comment on so many issues and so many remarks made by posters, and you seem to take things quite personally. Did you have a poor childhood ? Just sayin'. As far as the necessity of a preamp, it would be " system matching " dependent.  No hard feelings here. Enjoy ! MrD/

kalali
george, fair point. I should have said "pushing passive preamps" instead of "pushing his own passive preamps". But in your case that makes no difference.

Again thank you again for the semi plug.
And what’s wrong with "pushing passive preamps" they are the next best to going direct for transparency and dynamics, if the gain and impedance allows them, and in most cases they do, they are more transparent, more dynamic and less colored than an active preamp who's gain these days is not needed. 

There's been a heap of threads on similar subject. So reading this I again re-visited Direct vs. Active Pre-Amp.


As in all my previous findings a Quality Active Pre-Amp wins. Going Direct loses the emotion, soul, dimensionality, involvement, of the music. In fact I found going Direct became fatiguing after five minutes or so. A Quality Active Pre gets you closer to a Live Musical Experience.

I've done this experiment on numerous occasions over the years. Tube, Hybrid, Solid State, XLR, RCA, Active/Passive Speakers. Results have all been the same.

I've had a number of musical Pals place a Quality Active Pre. instead of Direct or Poor Quality Pre., on my recommendation. All have been gobsmacked at the Improvement in Musical Enjoyment.