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Is the preamp the “heart” of the system?

For many years my preamp was a passive devise. I was in love with the transparency. Then one day I to try an active one. With so many Stereophile “the best at any price” rave reviews I decided to go with the Audible Illusions M3B with the John Curl phono boards. I was thrilled! Finally I understood. They  sound finally had meat on the bones and a musicality that I was missing. And it was just as transparent! I guess the preamp IS the heart.

mglik
nwres's avatar
nwres
253 posts
 
Maybe the Pre is the heart. I tried the passive route after reading a lot of the arguments for going that way. But for me it was missing the life I get now with my tube pre and SS amp. Love the musicality, it draws me into the music.

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
The Heart? Yo could just as easily say the amp is the heart. In reality it is the Speakers that are the heart as they determine the type of sound you have more so than any other component.
limomangus's avatar
limomangus
1,460 posts
 
I say it's the brains of your system it gives the orders you tell it to do.
mesch
3,527 posts
 
I use a tube pre in a digital based system. I believe the preamp serving as the 'heart ' of a system stems back to vinyl/tape only playback. Now days there is more debate on this. That said I can't see myself going with a passive pre in this system.
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